It's out of this world!
Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Se curity – Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx)
OSIRIS-Rex was t he first American mission to retrieve samples from an asteroid. It success fully gathered surface materials from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in 2020 and then returned them to Earth on Sept 24, 2023 by dropping a Sample Retu rn Capsule (SRC) into the atmosphere. This SRC withstood a fiery reentry t hat was hotter than the Apollo lunar missions, then deployed two parachutes to land in northwest Utah at a DOD training range. The main spacecraft, n ow renamed OSIRIS-APEX continued on, back into solar orbit on a new 7 year mission to observe another near-Earth asteroid Apophis.
The spacecraft and SRC were both designed and built here in Littleton Color
ado at the Lockheed-Martin plant at Waterton Canyon, home to many prior Mar
s and deep space spacecraft. Bill Willcockson was one of the principal desi
gners of the OSIRIS-REx SRC, his last spacecraft mission, before retiring i
n 2018 following a career spanning more than 40 years.
Purchase tickets here ($10 members/$12 non-members): https://www.simpleti x.com/e/osiris-rex-mission-tickets-155204
Mission:
The Mission of the Conifer Historical Society and Museum is to share th
e region's legacy by collecting, preserving and exhibiting historical and c
ultural materials.