NASA will host a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 24, to provide an update on upcoming activities related to the agencys first mission to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth.
TheOrigins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer(OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft, which launched on Sept. 8, 2016, started asteroid science operations last week, began imaging asteroid Bennu for the first time, and is now preparing to conduct the necessary approach maneuvers to rendezvous with Bennu on Dec. 3.
The mission represents a valuable opportunity to learn more about the origins of our solar system, the sources of water and organic molecules on Earth, and the hazards and resources in near-Earth space.
The briefing participants are:
- Lori Glaze, acting director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters
- Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson
- Michael Moreau, OSIRIS-REx flight dynamics system manager at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center
- Sandy Freund, OSIRIS-REx mission support area manager at Lockheed Martin Space
