Asteroid & Comet Missions
Latest about Asteroid & Comet Missions
Asteroid hit by NASA's DART spacecraft is behaving unexpectedly, high school class discovers
By Brandon Specktor published
Asteroid Dimorphos, which NASA intentionally hit with a rocket during its DART mission in September 2022, is behaving in unpredicted ways.
How much of asteroid Bennu is NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe delivering to Earth this weekend?
By Mike Wall published
NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is delivering a precious haul of asteroid dirt and gravel to Earth this weekend. How much of this space-rock stuff will there be?
What if NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid-sample capsule crashes to Earth this weekend?
By Elizabeth Howell published
The descent capsule of NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid-sampling mission is supposed to touch down softly under parachutes on Sept. 24. If it crashes, however, the agency has a backup plan.
How asteroid Bennu caught NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft by surprise and nearly killed it along the way
By Tereza Pultarova published
When the OSIRIS-REx probe arrived at asteroid Bennu, it found a body that looked and behaved quite differently from what scientists had expected.
NASA's Lucy asteroid-hopping probe captures 1st snapshot of space rock 'Dinky' (photo)
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
NASA's Lucy spacecraft just sent home an impressive glimpse of the smallest asteroid target on its 12-year agenda to study intriguing space rocks.
OSIRIS-REx asteroid probe heads toward Earth for Sept. 24 sample delivery
By Mike Wall published
NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe put itself on course toward Earth with a thruster firing on Sept. 10, two weeks before its highly anticipated asteroid-sample delivery.
OSIRIS-REx's Dante Lauretta shares final preparations for Sept. 24 asteroid-sample return
By Leonard David published
NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission will see a sample of an asteroid return to Earth on Sept. 24. Here's how the mission's head scientist feels about the chances of success.
SpaceX launch of NASA's Psyche mission to bizarre metal asteroid just 1 month away
By Mike Wall published
NASA's Psyche mission is scheduled to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on Oct. 5 and begin heading toward its metal-asteroid namesake.
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