Apr 27, 2020

This week, OSIRIS-REx continued TAG Rehearsal phase operations. Following last week’s Checkpoint Rehearsal, the team uplinked preliminary commands to the spacecraft to prepare for orbit re-insertion, which is scheduled for Apr. 30. On Apr. 18, the spacecraft performed TR1R1, the first of four maneuvers to return the spacecraft to orbit. The second maneuver, TR1R2, executed on Apr. 25. The remaining two maneuvers are scheduled for next week.

The team is also preparing for the 250-meter Recon C flyover of backup sample collection site Osprey. The low-altitude flyover is scheduled for May 26, and will bring the spacecraft the closest it’s ever been to site Osprey. During this flyover, the spacecraft will perform the same activities it did during the Recon C flyover of site Nightingale. The spacecraft will depart orbit to arrive over site Osprey and perform science observations using the OCAMS, OTES, OVIRS, and OLA instruments from an altitude of approximately 250 meters.