NASA's Epic Asteroid Mission: Tears, Triumph, and a Historic Sample Return

The principal investigator of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, Dante Lauretta, experienced a mix of anxiety and relief as he awaited the successful recovery of the mission's sample return capsule containing samples of asteroid Bennu. Lauretta described the emotional moment when he received confirmation that the capsule had landed safely, stating that tears streamed down his face as he realized the mission had been a success. The samples will now be studied to gain insights into the chemical history of our solar system and potentially shed light on the origins of life on Earth. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will continue its scientific mission by embarking on a two-year journey to study the near-Earth asteroid Apophis.