CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -NASA’s OSIRIS-REx is an ongoing mission that visited and collected a sample from asteroid 101955 Bennu, with the aim of returning the sample to Earth in 2023. OSIRIS-Rex launched on Sept. 8, 2016, and arrived at asteroid Bennu on Dec.

Detailed explanation-2: -OSIRIS-REx is an acronym for “Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer.” The goal of the mission is to collect a sample weighing at least 2.1 ounces (59.5 grams) from near-Earth asteroid 101955 Bennu (formerly known as 1999 RQ36) and then bring the sample to Earth.

Detailed explanation-3: -Asteroids have been historically observed from Earth; the Galileo spacecraft provided the first close observation of an asteroid.

Detailed explanation-4: -NASA’s first asteroid sample return spacecraft, OSIRIS-REx, fired its thrusters for 30 seconds on Sept. 21 and nudged its trajectory toward Earth. The resulting course correction keeps the vehicle on track to deliver a sample of asteroid Bennu to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023, completing a seven-year mission.