The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft returned to Earth on Sunday, bringing with it material from the asteroid Bennu.
According to NASA, Bennu is a remnant from the beginnings of the solar system, allowing scientists a glimpse of 4.5 billion years into the past when Earth was first forming. There is evidence asteroids like Bennu delivered organic compounds to Earth when the two collided billions of years ago, NASA said.
In total, the mission lasted seven years from the spacecraft's launch to the time it touched back down to Earth. OSIRIS-REx launched atop United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket on Sept. 8, 2016, according to Aerojet Rocketdyne, and landed in the Utah desert on Sept. 24. The OSIRIS-REx has now embarked on a new mission with a new name: the OSIRIS-APEX.
The OSIRIS-APEX team will redirect the spacecraft to encounter the asteroid Apophis, which will come within 20,000 miles of Earth in 2029. OSIRIS-APEX is expected to enter the asteroid's orbit at that time. The mission will provide a close-up look at the S-type asteroid. S-type asteroids are made up of silicate materials and nickel-iron. The spacecraft will use gas thrusters to dislodge and study dust and small rocks on or below Apophis's surface, according to NASA.
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