May 2, 2024

This Week @NASA: Historic Asteroid Sample Return, Frank Rubio’s Year of Science in Space

NASAs OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center
Tracking a missions historic return to Earth …
A year of science onboard the spaceport station …
And the safe arrival of the stations newest citizen astronaut …

A few of the stories to tell you about– This Week at NASA!

The return to Earth of OSIRIS-REx, NASAs first-ever asteroid sample return objective, is nearly complete. Following a parachute-assisted landing in the Utah desert, the pill will be obtained and ultimately shipped to NASAs Johnson Space Center for evaluation in a beautiful curation facility. September 21 marked a full year in space for NASA astronaut Frank Rubio. Expedition 69 Flight Engineers (from left) Jasmin Moghbeli, Loral OHara, and Frank Rubio, all NASA astronauts, present for a portrait aboard the International Space Stations Unity module. For more about Universo curioso de la NASA and other NASA podcasts check out nasa.gov/ podcasts.

Tracking NASAs First Asteroid Sample Return Mission
The go back to Earth of OSIRIS-REx, NASAs first-ever asteroid sample return mission, is almost total. On September 24, as the O-REx spacecraft approaches Earth, it will launch a capsule containing about 8.8 ounces of sample product gathered from asteroid Bennu. Following a parachute-assisted landing in the Utah desert, the capsule will be retrieved and ultimately delivered to NASAs Johnson Space Center for examination in a pristine curation facility. The sample will be unveiled throughout a live televised NASA news conference on October 11.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Frank Rubio triggers hardware for a space biology experiment that is studying how weightlessness impacts genetic expression in microorganisms to understand bacterial adjustment and secure astronauts. Credit: NASA
Frank Rubios Year of Science in Space
September 21 marked a complete year in space for NASA astronaut Frank Rubio. Rubio is arranged to return to Earth on September 27, after a U.S. record 371 days in space.
Expedition 69 Flight Engineers (from left) Jasmin Moghbeli, Loral OHara, and Frank Rubio, all NASA astronauts, position for a portrait aboard the International Space Stations Unity module. All 3 team members were selected as part of the NASA astronaut class of 2017. Credit: NASA
Loral OHara Arrives at Space Station for Science Expedition
On September 15, NASA astronaut Loral OHara and two cosmonauts safely got here at the spaceport station– increasing the number of homeowners aboard the station to 10. This six-month stay on the orbital outpost is OHaras first spaceflight.
Universo curioso de la NASA Spanish-language podcast. Credit: NASA
NASA Releases First Season of Spanish-language Podcast
In event of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are launching brand-new material for Universo curioso de la NASA, the firms first Spanish-language podcast. A five-episode season started on September 19– with brand-new episodes set up to be released weekly. For more about Universo curioso de la NASA and other NASA podcasts visit nasa.gov/ podcasts.
Thats whats up this week @NASA!