Jul 15, 2019

OSIRIS-REX successfully completed its second week of global mapping for Orbital B phase. This week, OLA, PolyCam, OTES, REXIS and NavCam executed their scheduled science activities from a nadir-pointed attitude (nadir is the location directly below the spacecraft). In addition to nadir tracking, the mission also successfully completed an OLA/LIDAR cross-calibration exercise on July 6. The cross-calibration activity seeks to confirm that both the GNC (Guidance, Navigation and Control) LIDAR range data and OLA scans are consistent with one another. Calibration data review is scheduled over the course of the next week.

The mission’s Sample Site Selection Board also made significant progress in down-selecting potential Regions of Interest (ROIs) this week. The team is closer to selecting the four candidate sample collection sites that will be thoroughly evaluated during the Reconnaissance phase of the mission.