Touch-and-go: US spacecraft sampling asteroid for return

Central Florida Public Media | By Danielle Prieur

Published October 19, 2020 at 9:30 AM EDT

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<strong>Phone Home?</strong> NASA wants us to be ready to understand messages from potentially "a species that is radically Other." — **Phone Home?** NASA wants us to be ready to understand messages from potentially "a species that is radically Other."

A NASA spacecraft circling an ancient asteroid 200 million miles away is about to reach out and make contact.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A NASA spacecraft circling an ancient asteroid 200 million miles away is about to reach out and make contact.

The Osiris-Rex spacecraft will attempt to descend to the boulder-packed surface of asteroid Bennu on Tuesday and snatch a handful of rubble.

It will be America’s first crack at collecting asteroid samples for return to Earth, a feat accomplished so far only by Japan.

Scientists want to bring back at least 2 ounces worth of Bennu — about a handful’s worth. The spacecraft can touch down no more than three times to grab enough rubble. The samples won’t arrive on Earth until 2023.