In a quest to find the key that open the door for life to be on Earth, the scientists at NASA launched the spacecraft OSIRIS-REx, which is short for Origins, Spectral Interpretations, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer, into outer space with a destination to one of the universe’s most ancient asteroids named Bennu!

Bennu, whose name comes from the ancient Egyptian god of creation and rebirth and is also linked to Osiris the ancient Egyptian god of life and resurrection, has a rich rocky terrain that is filled with an assortment of particles and elements that were present during the solar system’s younger years.

The fellas and gals over at NASA believe that Bennu’s particles and elements are the same ones that the solar system distributed out, during its younger days, in order to create this little blue planet that we call our home.

One of the fellas, Thomas Zurbuchen the associate administrator for NASA’s science mission directorate, had this to say about the mission, “This was an incredible feat-and today we’ve advanced both science and engineering and our prospects for future missions to study these mysterious ancient storytellers of the solar system. A piece of primordial rock that has witnessed a piece of our solar system’s entire history may now be ready to come home for generations of scientific discovery, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.”

During the early afternoon on October 20 around 1:50PM, OSIRIS-REx made it to Bennu.  Once there, Osiris-REx began a four hour descent to Bennu’s northern hemisphere where its destination spot, Nightingale, is located. In order to make it over to Nightingale without any troubles, OSIRIS-REx had to carry out two maneuvers, the “Checkpoint” burn and the “Matchpoint” burn.

The “Checkpoint” burn was the first maneuver carried out. While 410 feet in Bennu’s air space, OSIRIS-REx shot out thrusters that were used to map out the path to the Nightingale site.

Upon completion of the “Checkpoint” burn maneuver, OSIRS-REx began the “Matchpoint” burn maneuver. OSIRIS-REx shot out a second round of thrusters that were used to slow down OSIRIS-REx so that it could line up with Bennu’s rotation upon contact.

As soon as OSIRIS-REx touched down on Bennu’s rocky terrain, the spacecraft began an 11-minute journey which included journeying pass a two-story building size boulder named “Mount Doom,” to the Nightingale site.

Once there, OSIRIS-REx began the “Touch-And-Go (TAG)” process of collecting the “candy bar” size samples. OSIRIS-REx extended its arm, which is called the Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), shot out some nitrogen gas, and then used its hand to pick up the “candy bar” size samples that the nitrogen gas had kicked up.

The “candy bar” size samples , though, turned out to be the 2x size. Y’all know, the real big SNICKER size candy bar that takes two to three days to eat. That’s what the “candy bar” size sample turned out to be.

The fellas and gals over at NASA decided they’d better let a good chunk of the “candy bar” go. No worries, though, They have enough “candy bar” size samples to package and place in OSIRIS-REx’s Sample Return Capsule which, along with OSIRIS-REx, will began journeying back to Earth sometime in March of next year with an arrival date of September 24, 2023.

After OSIRIS-REx makes it back here, the fellas and gals over at NASA will began sifting through and analyzing the “candy bar” size pebbles, rocks, and dirt in order to see if they can find the key to life on planet Earth.

I wonder what Pluto is thinking about all of this attention that Earth is getting?!

Hm, oh well.