Passkale - Untitled
More Posts from Passkale and Others
An Addition to our Space Rock Collection
On October 20th, our OSIRIS-REx mission will make its first attempt to collect and retrieve a sample of asteroid Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid. On sample collection day, Bennu will be over 200 million miles away from Earth.
Asteroids are the building blocks of our solar system. A sample of this ancient material can tell us about the history of our planet and the origins of life. Science results published from the mission on October 8th confirm that Bennu contains carbon in a form often found in biology or in compounds associated with biology.
To collect a sample, OSIRIS-REx will attempt a method NASA has never used before – called Touch-And-Go (TAG). First, the spacecraft extends its robotic sampling arm, the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) – from its folded storage position. The spacecraft’s two solar panels then move into a “Y-wing” configuration over the spacecraft’s body, which positions them safely up and away from the asteroid’s surface during touch down. This configuration also places the spacecraft’s center of gravity directly over the TAGSAM collector head, which is the only part of the spacecraft that will contact Bennu’s surface.
Finding a safe sample collection site on Bennu’s rocky landscape was a challenge. During the sampling event, the spacecraft, which is the size of a large van, will attempt to touch down in an area that is only the size of a few parking spaces, and just a few steps away from enormous boulders.
The spacecraft will only make contact with Bennu for a matter of seconds - just long enough to blow nitrogen gas onto the surface to roil up dust and small pebbles, which will then be captured for a return to Earth.
We need to conduct a few tests before we can confirm we collected a large enough sample (about 2 oz). First, OSIRIS-REx will take images of the collector head to see if it contains rocks and dust. Second, the spacecraft will spin with the TAGSAM extended to determine the mass of collected material. If these measures show a successful collection, we will stow the sample for return to Earth. If sufficient sample has not been collected, the spacecraft has onboard nitrogen charges for two more attempts. The next TAG attempt would be made no earlier than January 2021.
Despite the many challenges, the OSIRIS-REx team is ready. They’ve practiced and prepared for this moment.
Join in with #ToBennuAndBack and tune in on October 20th.
Learn more about the OSIRIS-REx countdown to TAG HERE.
Learn more about the OSIRIS-REx mission HERE, or follow the mission on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Has America blissfully checked-out of its political realities? “American Psychosis” examines.
Lake Street Dive has announced a new batch of North American spring and summer tour dates. Following its previously announced shows in upstate New York in May, the band will head to Toronto on June 1 and continue through the US East and Midwest, making stops in Pennsylvania, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Wisconsin, and more, including a return to NYC's Radio City Music Hall. Lake Street Dive has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 per ticket goes to supporting the Climate Justice Alliance and their work uniting frontline communities and organizations into a formidable force in the climate movement. Details/tickets here.
I just watched the 4 clearly visible planets march across the sky with the moon in the center, so here’s a short guide to the night sky as the last 3 move across.
mammenxTime lapse of the milky way rolling across the night sky, flanked by the planets Jupiter, Saturn & Mars. Taken from Diskit Ladakh, this place truly has some fantastic unobstructed views of the night sky
予告 「四月の永い夢」
Two new Peterson guides for spring birding
Spring is finally here, so we’re looking for more and more excuses to get outside. One of our favorite ways to experience the outdoors is to go birding. Luckily, there are two new Peterson guides to help you identify birds through song and sight, when you’re hiking or enjoying the great outdoors.
Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Western North America
This is a comprehensive field guide that uses an innovative Sound Index to teach readers how to quickly identify unfamiliar songs and bird calls in western North America. Read an excerpt.
Learn more and purchase your copy
Peterson Reference Guide to Sparrows of North America
Sparrows are as complicated as they are common. This is an essential guide to to identifying 76 varieties, as well as fascinating history of human interactions with them. Read an excerpt.
Learn more and purchase your copy
