OSIRIS-REx at LPSC 2019

Since arriving at asteroid Bennu on Dec. 3, 2018, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has been busy investigating the asteroid, setting navigation records for orbiting a small planetary body, and beginning to search for an ideal site to collect a sample.

Members of the mission team will discuss the things they have learned about Bennu in the past three months – some of which are quite surprising – at the 50th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Houston and in a special collection of papers issued by the journal Nature.

The highlights of their findings, including what they mean for mission operations going forward, will be covered at a NASA media telecon on March 19 at 1:30 pm ET (see below for details). LPSC conference attendees are also invited to join us for special scientific sessions on March 19 and 20 (schedule below).

 

Media Telecon

Bennu Revealed: OSIRIS-REx’s Unexpected Discoveries
Tuesday, March 19
1:30 p.m. EDT/ 12:30 p.m. CDT

For the past three months, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has been investigating Bennu at close range and getting to know the asteroid in much greater detail. Mission experts will discuss the highlights of their findings (including some unexpected discoveries), the spacecraft’s outstanding navigation performance since arrival, and what lies ahead as the team begins to search for the best site to collect a sample.

Participants:

  • Lori Glaze, director, Planetary Science Division, Washington
  • Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator, University of Arizona, Tucson
  • Coralie Adam, OSIRIS-REx flight navigator, KinetX, Inc. Space Navigation and Flight Dynamics, Simi Valley, Calif.
  • Rich Burns, OSIRIS-REx project manager, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md

Teleconference audio and visuals will stream live at: https://www.nasa.gov/live

For dial-in information, media must send their name, affiliation and phone number to Lonnie Shekhtman at Lonnie.Shekhtman@nasa.gov by 10 a.m. on March 19.

 

Science Sessions

SPECIAL SESSION:  OSIRIS-REx at Asteroid Bennu (T203)
Tuesday, March 19
8:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Waterway Ballroom 5

Poster Session I: OSIRIS-REx at asteroid Bennu (T301)
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
6:00 p.m.
Town Center Exhibit Area

Ryugu and Bennu: Diamond Asteroids are Forever (W401)
Wednesday, March 20
8:30 a.m.  – 10:30 a.m.
Waterway Ballroom 1