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NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft performed its fourth asteroid approach maneuver (AAM-4) yesterday. The spacecraft used its attitude control system boosters (ACS) to slow it down from about 0.31 mph (0.14 m / sec) to 0.10 mi / h (0.04 m / sec).
ACS thrusters are capable of speed variations as low as 0.02 mph (0.01 m / sec).
The mission team will continue to review telemetry and tracking data over the next week to verify the new trajectory. The maneuver was aimed at the spacecraft flying in a corridor designed to collect high-resolution images that will be used to build a Bennu shape model.
With the execution of the AAM-4, the OSIRIS-REx probe completes a six-week series of Bennu's approach maneuvers. AAM-1 and AAM-2, which were executed on October 1 and 15, respectively, slowed the spacecraft by a total of approximately 1,088 mph (486 m / s).
AAM-3 and AAM-3A, which performed respectively on October 29 and November 5, further refined the trajectory and speed of the spacecraft to define the conditions for a successful AAM maneuver. -4.
After a final correction maneuver scheduled for November 30th, the spacecraft will be on track to arrive at a position 20km from Bennu on December 3rd.
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The cosmic detective work: Why we care about space rocks
Pasadena CA (JPL) Nov 8, 2018
The entire history of human existence is a tiny part of the 4.5 billion years of our solar system. Nobody was there to see the planets form and undergo dramatic changes before settling into their current configuration. In order to understand what preceded us – before life on Earth and before the Earth itself – scientists must look for clues to this mysterious and distant past.
These clues come in the form of asteroids, comets and other small objects. Like detectives who sift through investigations … read more
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