Osiris Rex

Scientists say asteroids Bennu and Ryugu may have formed from a direct collision in space

Both asteroids are small fragments re-accumulated to form an aggregate body and may have formed from the same original shattered parent body.

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft gets extra time to prepare for it long-awaited touchdown on asteroid Bennu

The spacecraft will attempt its first sample collection on 20 October and is equipped to do it three times if necessary.

MIT researchers develop 'decision map' that finds the best way to deflect incoming asteroid

The researchers applied their method to Apophis and Bennu, two near-Earth asteroids that are constantly flying-by Earth.

NASA's plan to dig for dirt, gravel from asteroid Bennu isn't going very well

The Osiris-Rex spacecraft revealed the asteroid which is 70 million miles from Earth is covered with boulders.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission finds asteroid Bennu spinning faster and faster over time

Asteroid Bennu's rotation period is getting shorter by roughly one second every 100 years.

NASA OSIRIS-REx captures Earth, moon, asteroid Bennu in a single frame

The picture was taken days before the NASA probe zoomed in to the asteroid's orbit on New Year’s Eve.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx enters asteroid Bennu's orbit in milestone, record for the mission

After studying Bennu for a year, OSIRIS-REx will give it a 'gentle high-five' in 2020 for a sample.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx finds tiny asteroid Bennu rich in moisture, scattered with rocks

Scientists think Bennu is a leftover from the beginning of the solar system 4.5 billion years ago.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe finds evidence of water on its target asteroid Bennu

We targeted Bennu precisely because we thought it had water-bearing minerals: OSIRIS-REx mission lead.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx lands on Bennu in agency's first asteroid sample-return mission

OSIRIS-Rex could uncover a means of mining asteroids for precious resources like metals & water.