Osiris-Rex returns - 6th October 2023

Osiris-Rex has returned to Earth with the largest amount of asteroid dust ever collected from space. It landed in Utah after seven years in space.

"And touchdown of the Osiris-Rex sample return capsule. A journey of a billion miles to asteroid Bennu and back has come to an end."

The dust comes from the asteroid Bennu and weighs 250 grams. But, scientist Dante Lauretta's excited to start studying the dust.

Dante Lauretta: "So we think we've got a lot of sample in that, in that science canister and we can't wait to, to crack into it. For me, the real science is just beginning."

The dust's valuable. It holds information about the origins of the solar system and life on Earth. The team's main aim is to protect the dust from Earth's bacteria.

Dante Lauretta: "The key objective for me and one of the driving objectives of this programme, is to try to understand that carbon rich asteroids, like Bennu, deliver the compounds that may have led to the origin of life on our planet. The origin of Earth is a habitable world. And so, we don't want biological organisms interacting with this. So, we plan to exclude it from any contact with bacteria or anything else that might compromise our scientific investigation."

By studying the asteroid's dust, scientists can begin plans to keep Earth safe. Scientists believe that Bennu's the most dangerous rock in the universe. They predict that it'll hit Earth within the next century. Scientists can get information from the sample. They can use it to start planning the best way to direct Bennu away from Earth.

Scientists have saved seventy percent of the dust for future scientists. They'll have more advanced technology and techniques to continue studying the asteroid dust.

Lauretta's celebrating the results of Osiris-Rex's voyage.

Dante Lauretta: "And then, we heard 'main chute detected', and I literally broke into tears. I mean, and I'm probably gonna do it right now just thinking about it, because that was the moment I knew we made it home. And you know, I'm weary at this point. I've been thinking about this and focusing on it and all of my energy and all my will has gone into making this thing a success. And I knew the moment the chute opened, that was it. We knew what to do from that point forward. There was no surprises left. And it was overwhelming relief, gratitude, pride, awe."