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☆ First confirmed moon cave could provide future astronauts shelter
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-20 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The surface feature is Mare Tranquillitatis, or the Sea of Tranquility, where the Apollo 11 mission landed on the afternoon of July 20, 1969. Scientists have discovered a large lunar cave connected to a pit found within the moon's Sea of Tranquility. NASA/Goddard/Arizona State UniversityScientists have found a subterranean cavity beneath the Sea of Tranquility, and it may provide shelter for future lunar astronauts in the form of a cave. Lunar caves, or underground passages formed by volcanic processes during the moon’s early history, are connected to pits covering the lunar surface. The long, wide cave, found by reviewing archival NASA data, could be used to protect astronauts from harsh radiation and extreme temperature swings as well as provide a new avenue to study lunar rocks.

Persons: revel, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Artemis, Ramses, Hamilton, Lori Hilton, Maine coons, squint, ”, Dana Varble, Sharp, Jürgen, Missy Elliott’s, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, NASA, Goddard, Arizona State University Scientists, European Space Agency, French bulldogs, North American Veterinary Community, Space Agency, Sharks, New, CNN Space, Science Locations: Maine, Hamilton, Mexico, Mexican, Nuevo, Argentina, Americas, New Zealand, —, Cambodia, New York City, New Jersey

☆ When a cruise liner-size asteroid zips by Earth, two spacecraft may follow it
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-16 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When a cruise liner-size asteroid comes within 19,883 miles (32,000 kilometers) of Earth on April 13, 2029, it won’t be alone. The European Space Agency has announced that its new Ramses spacecraft may accompany the asteroid Apophis before and after its safe, albeit rather close, pass of Earth. Astronomers think that an asteroid this large comes within such proximity to Earth only once every 5,000 to 10,000 years. In September 2022, NASA’s DART mission intentionally slammed a spacecraft into Dimorphos, a moonlet asteroid that orbits a larger parent asteroid known as Didymos. “The Ramses mission concept reuses much of the technology, expertise and industrial and science communities developed for the Hera mission,” said Paolo Martino, spacecraft manager for Hera who will also work on the Ramses mission, in a statement.

Persons: won’t, Ramses, Apophis, Apophis doesn’t, ”, Patrick Michel, ” Michel, Richard Moissl, NASA’s, OSIRIS, REx, “ Apophis, Hera, Paolo Martino, “ Hera Organizations: CNN, European Space Agency, NASA’s Center, Studies, ESA, NASA, System, National Centre for Scientific Research, NSF, JPL, Caltech, ESA’s Planetary Defence Office, APEX Locations: Europe, Africa, Asia, Apophis, France

☆ NASA probe to observe near-Earth asteroid's 2029 close encounter
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

When it does, a spacecraft launched by NASA in 2016 is expected to be in position to provide a detailed examination of this rare close encounter. The tidal pull of Earth's gravity likely will cause measurable disturbances to the asteroid's surface and motion, changing its orbital path and rotational spin. The spacecraft is set to observe the asteroid's Earth flyby as it nears and ultimately catches up with Apophis. PLANETARY SCIENCE AND DEFENSELike other asteroids, Apophis is a relic of the early solar system. Close examination of Apophis could give planetary defense experts valuable information about the structure and other properties of asteroids.

Persons: NASA's, Michael Nolan, It's, Nolan, it's, Steve Gorman, Will Dunham Organizations: NASA, APEX, NASA's Goddard Space, Empire, University of Arizona, SPACECRAFT'S SECOND, Planetary Science, Thomson Locations: Utah, Africa, Europe, Apophis, Los Angeles

☆ Scientists discover ‘best problem’ as they open up asteroid sample
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Scientists have taken their first glimpse of a sample collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu — and stumbled upon a good bit more than they expected. “There’s a lot of abundant material outside the TAGSAM head that’s interesting in its own right. It’s really spectacular to have all that material there.”The actual asteroid sample won’t be revealed until October 11 in a live NASA broadcast. The TAGSAM head will be moved to a new specialized glovebox for careful disassembly, unveiling the sample inside. “We have all the microanalytical techniques that we can throw at this to really, really tear it apart, almost down to the atomic scale,” said Lindsay Keller, OSIRIS-REx sample analysis team member, in a statement.

Persons: Rex, NASA’s, OSIRIS, REx, ”, Christopher Snead, REx curation, “, Lindsay Keller, “ You’ve, ” Keller Organizations: CNN —, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, NASA, Bennu Locations: Utah, Houston, Bennu

☆ NASA’s next stop: An asteroid named for the Egyptian god of chaos
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —After a nearly 4 billion-mile round trip, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully delivered NASA’s first asteroid sample to Earth. Across the universeAn artist's rendering shows OSIRIS-APEX kicking up dust so it can study Apophis. The space rock — named for the Egyptian god of chaos and darkness — was once considered to be one of the most potentially hazardous asteroid threats to Earth. Courtesy Narin ChomphuphuangA newly described tarantula species looks like it would be right at home slinging webs alongside Spider-Man. The electric blue tarantula, named Taksinus bambus, was found living in tree hollows in southern Thailand last year.

Persons: REx, NASA’s, Brian May, OSIRIS, —, Thomas Dressler, Frank Rubio, Rubio, Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin, readjusting, “, ”, José Hernández, Taksinus bambus, Narin Chomphuphuang, James Webb, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Space Center, APEX, University of Arizona, Western, Soyuz, Space Station, NASA, Kaen University, CNN Space, Science Locations: Utah, Houston, Israel, Greece, Namibia, Southern, Spain, Thailand

☆ Photos show the 3.86 billion-mile journey of NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample mission from start to finish
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

NASA's OSIRIS-REx has been traveling for seven years to get an asteroid sample to Earth. Check out its 3.86 billion-mile journey from launch to asteroid sample landing in the photos below. NASA/Keegan BarberAfter collecting the largest asteroid sample ever brought to Earth, OSIRIS began its long journey home. AdvertisementAdvertisementSample retrievalRecovery team members gather around a capsule containing Bennu asteroid samples as part of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission. Analyzing the sampleLockheed Martin recovery specialists Levi Hanish and Michael Kaye take the lid off NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample.

Persons: REx, —, what's, OSIRIS, imager, Bennu, NASA's, Dante Lauretta, Keegan Barber, Rick Bowmer, NASA’s, Molly Wasser, Martin, Levi Hanish, Michael Kaye, Robert Markowiz, Noah Petro, What's, It's Organizations: Service, REx, NASA, United Launch Alliance, Atlas, Goddard, University of Arizona, Survey, NASA's Goddard Space, Earth, Department of Defense's Utah, AP, US Air Force, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Space Center, JPL, Caltech Locations: Cape Canaveral , Florida, Salt Lake City, Houston, Houston , Texas

☆ OSIRIS-APEX mission sets off for new asteroid target
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —After successfully delivering NASA’s first asteroid sample collected in space, the OSIRIS-REx mission, now renamed OSIRIS-APEX, is embarking on a new journey — this time to study an asteroid that will closely approach Earth in just a few years. The asteroid was named for the Egyptian god of chaos and darkness and is believed to be shaped like a peanut. An artist's rendering shows OSIRIS-APEX kicking up dust so it can study Apophis. What Apophis could revealApophis is of interest because it’s an S-type, or stony, asteroid, in contrast to Bennu, which is a C-type, or carbonaceous, asteroid. The spacecraft’s ability to closely orbit the asteroid can reveal the surface strength of stony asteroids and how much weathering the asteroid endures in the space environment.

Persons: CNN —, NASA’s, REx, OSIRIS, ”, Dani DellaGiustina, APEX's, Heather Roper, Dante Lauretta, ” Lauretta, “ Organizations: CNN, APEX, University of Arizona, Space Center, NASA, “, NASA’s Center Locations: NASA’s, Houston, Europe, Africa

☆ Queen’s Brian May helped NASA return its first asteroid sample
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Hafsa Khalil | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Not only is he the Queen guitarist, but he is also an astrophysicist who recently helped NASA return its first ever asteroid sample to Earth. May said he was “immensely proud” to be part of the team that collected the sample from the asteroid Bennu. It collected the sample from the more than 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid in 2020 before setting off on its return journey to Earth, specifically Utah, in 2021. “Happy sample return day, and congratulations to all who work so incredibly hard on this mission, especially my dear friend Dante.”“God bless you all,” he added. After dropping off the sample capsule in Utah, OSIRIS-REx is continuing its travels to study a different asteroid, named Apophis, the space agency said.

Persons: Brian May, Queen, OSIRIS, REx, May, Dante Lauretta, “ I’m, ”, Dante Organizations: CNN, NASA, Sunday, Earth Locations: Utah

☆ NASA's first asteroid sample parachutes into Utah desert
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Sept 24 (Reuters) - A NASA space capsule carrying the largest soil sample ever scooped up from the surface of an asteroid streaked through Earth's atmosphere on Sunday and parachuted into the Utah desert, delivering the celestial specimen to scientists. It marked only the third asteroid sample, and by far the biggest, ever returned to Earth for analysis, following two similar missions by Japan's space agency ending in 2010 and 2020. OSIRIS-REx collected its specimen three years ago from Bennu, a small, carbon-rich asteroid discovered in 1999. Parachutes deployed near the very end of the descent, slowing the capsule to about 11 mph before it fell gently onto the desert floor of northwestern Utah. The Bennu sample has been estimated at 250 grams (8.8 ounces), far surpassing the 5 grams carried back from Ryugu in 2020 or the tiny specimen delivered from asteroid Itokawa in 2010.

Persons: REx, NASA's, Steve Gorman, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: NASA, University of Arizona, Empire, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Thomson Locations: Utah, Salt Lake City, military's, Bennu, Ryugu, Houston, Los Angeles

☆ Capsule with NASA's first asteroid sample heads for Utah touchdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The robotic spacecraft OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to release the gumdrop-shaped capsule, transporting about a cup of gravelly asteroid material, at 6:42 a.m. EDT (1042 GMT) for a final descent to Earth, climaxing a seven-year voyage. The spacecraft departed Bennu in May 2021 for a 1.2-billion-mile (1.9-billion-km) cruise back to Earth, including two orbits around the sun. The Bennu sample is estimated at 250 grams (8.8 ounces), far surpassing the 5 grams of material carried back from Ryugu in 2020 or the tiny specimen delivered from asteroid Itokawa in 2010. Scientists hope the integrity of the capsule and inner cannister bearing the asteroid material will be maintained through re-entry and landing, keeping the sample pristine and free of any terrestrial contamination. The main portion of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, meanwhile, is expected to sail on to explore yet another near-Earth asteroid, named Apophis.

Persons: Joel Kowsky, REx, climaxing, NASA's, Steve Gorman, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: United Launch Alliance, V, Cape Canaveral Air Force, NASA, Handout, Reuters, University of Arizona, Empire, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Thomson Locations: Florida, U.S, Utah, Salt Lake City, military's, Ryugu, Houston, Los Angeles

☆ OSIRIS-REx: A long-awaited asteroid sample has landed in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Seven years after launching to space, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft flew by Earth Sunday to deliver the pristine sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. The sample capsule, about the size of a large truck tire, and its main parachute can be seen after landing in the Utah desert. What the sample may revealDetails about the sample will be revealed through a NASA broadcast from Johnson Space Center on October 11. If a government shutdown occurs, “it will not endanger the curation and safe handling of the asteroid sample,” said Lori Glaze, director for NASA’s Planetary Sciences Division. “Scientists believe that the asteroid Bennu is representative of the solar system’s own oldest materials forged in large dying stars and supernova explosions,” Glaze said.

Persons: REx, Rich Burns, OSIRIS, Sandra Freund, Burns, ”, Dante Lauretta, Nicole Lunning, REx curation, NASA’s, Lauretta, Lori Glaze, ” Glaze Organizations: CNN, NASA, Earth Sunday, Goddard, University of Arizona, Defense Department’s Utah, Goddard Space Flight, Lockheed, Space Center, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Monday, Johnson Space Center, Canadian Space Agency, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA’s Planetary Sciences Locations: Bennu, Greenbelt , Maryland, Tucson, Utah, Houston

☆ A 7-year journey to deliver an asteroid sample to Earth will soon end in Utah
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The cargo van-size spacecraft arrived in orbit around the asteroid Bennu in December 2018, providing detailed views of the spinning top-shaped space rock. Other worldsA training model of the OSIRIS-REx mission's sample return capsule was released from an aircraft in August, simulating the upcoming recovery operations. Keegan Barber/NASAThe OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will fly by Earth this weekend and drop off its precious sample from Bennu. Watch as the sample capsule is set to plunge through Earth’s atmosphere and land in the Utah desert, with NASA’s live coverage beginning at 10 a.m. As the capsule parachutes down, OSIRIS-REx will keep going, embarking on a new adventure to explore the asteroid Apophis.

Persons: CNN —, REx, NASA’s, Keegan Barber, ”, Deutsches, Monopoly, you’re, Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt Organizations: CNN, Rice University in Texas, Mechanical, Zimbabwe, Bochum, Iron, Swedish Museum of, Publishing, Andromeda Galaxy, CNN Space, Science Locations: Utah, Dürrnberg, Austria, Austrian, Zambia, Tasmania, Stockholm, Western Australia

☆ An asteroid sample is about to land on Earth. Here’s what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft swings by Earth on Sunday, it is expected to deliver a rare cosmic gift: a pristine sample collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. After releasing the capsule, OSIRIS-REx will continue on its tour of the solar system to capture a detailed look at a different asteroid named Apophis. Returning NASA’s first asteroid sample collected in space to Earth has been years in the making. An illustration depicts the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft as it descended toward the rocky surface of asteroid Bennu. If the spacecraft’s trajectory is on track, the sample capsule is expected to release from OSIRIS-REx 63,000 miles (102,000 kilometers) from Earth on early Sunday.

Persons: REx, Keegan Barber, Bennu, Lockheed Martin, Sandra Freund, OSIRIS, NASA’s, Johnson, ”, Dante Lauretta Organizations: CNN, NASA, Department of Defense's Utah, Goddard, University of Arizona, TAG, Apollo, Lockheed, Lockheed Martin Space, Defense Department’s Utah, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Johnson Space Center, Canadian Space Agency, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency Locations: Utah, Cape Canaveral, Bennu, Houston, Tucson

The sample capsule will parachute into the Utah desert as its mothership, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft, zooms off for an encounter with another asteroid. The asteroid samples will be handled inside nitrogen-purging gloveboxes by staff in head-to-toe clean room suits. ASTEROID AUTUMNThis fall is what NASA is calling Asteroid Autumn, with three asteroid missions marking major milestones. Both the NASA spacecraft and its target — a metal asteroid — are named Psyche. Japan’s first asteroid sample mission returned microscopic grains from asteroid Itokawa in 2010.

Persons: —, ”, University of Arizona’s Dante Lauretta, Rex, Bennu, Lauretta, NASA’s, Johnson, Kevin Righter, Lucy Organizations: NASA, University of Arizona’s, Empire, Defense Department’s Utah, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Apollo, Soviet Union, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Utah, Japan, Bennu, Colorado, Houston, Antarctica, Cape Canaveral , Florida, U.S, China

☆ How NASA has prepared to scoop up an asteroid sample landing in the desert
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —An asteroid sample stowed inside a NASA spacecraft is about to reach Earth after traveling for nearly 2½ years across space. It’s NASA’s first time collecting and returning an asteroid sample from space. Teams have been rehearsing how to retrieve the sample, originally collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, when it drops down into the Utah desert on September 24. Keegan Barber/NASAThe mission’s original goal was to retrieve a pristine asteroid sample. The team has also prepared for different landing scenarios, such as a hard landing where the capsule containing the sample opens unexpectedly.

Persons: NASA’s, REx, ”, Nicola Fox, ” It’s, Keegan Barber, Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS, “, Rich Burns, ” Burns, Burns, Sandra Freund, Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Freund, Molly Wasser, Kevin Righter, curation, Christopher Snead, ” Snead, ” Lauretta Organizations: CNN, NASA, Goddard, University of Arizona, Department of Defense's Utah, Department of Defense’s Utah, Goddard Space Flight, Lockheed, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Space, Apollo, Space Center, Canadian Space Agency, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency Locations: Utah, Bennu, Tucson, Salt Lake City, Greenbelt , Maryland, Houston, Johnson

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