NASA’s First Asteroid Sample Return Mission Flies By Earth

Credit: NASA
HOUSTON—Osiris-Rex, NASA’s first-ever asteroid sample return mission spacecraft, swooped close to Earth on Sept. 22 for a planned gravity assist maneuver on its way to the space rock Bennu. The 4,600-lb. probe was lofted out of the Sun/Earth plane just enough to set up a lengthy orbital encounter...

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