In the Clean Room: Up-Close Look at NASA's Asteroid-Sampling Probe OSIRIS-REx

Orbit Explanations

OSIRIS-REx deputy project scientist Christina Richey explains the path the spacecraft will take to the asteroid Bennu.

Asteroid Bennu

Christina Richey holds a 3D-printed model of Bennu.

Posing

OSIRIS-REx principal investigator Dante Lauretta poses in front of the payload fairing. He has been working on this project since 2004 and said he is excited for the launch.

Team Leader

Rex Englelhardt, mission manager for NASA's Launch Services Program, has been leading the team that services the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft at Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

OSIRIS-REx

OSIRIS-REx is set to launch on Sept. 8, 2016 to chase down the asteroid Bennu.

Waiting

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft was encapsulated in its payload fairing on Aug. 24, 2016.

TAGSAM

Rich Kuhns, OSIRIS-REx program manager for Lockheed Martin, points to the TAGSAM, a robotic arm that will gather a sample of the asteroid Bennu.

Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at KSC

The Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at KSC has a rich history. Many high-profile science missions were processed here, including NASA's previous two robotic sample- return missions :-- Stardust and Genesis.