Apr 13, 2020

This week, OSIRIS-REx continued TAG Rehearsal phase operations. In preparing for the Checkpoint Rehearsal on Apr. 14, the team uplinked the Natural Feature Tracking (NFT) image catalog to the spacecraft. During the rehearsal, the NFT navigation system will compare real-time images to the image catalog – allowing the spacecraft to autonomously estimate its position based on Bennu’s landmarks and make small adjustments to its maneuver plan as it descends towards the surface.

On Apr. 7, the spacecraft performed its first phasing burn (TR1P1), which adjusts its orbit so that the spacecraft is at the proper latitude and radius for orbit departure during the Checkpoint Rehearsal. The spacecraft fired its LTR-1 thruster to execute the TR1P1 burn, and imparted a velocity change (delta-v) of 0.47 mm/s – the smallest maneuver executed on the mission to-date.