IonStorm

Like on Stardust, the SRC is spin-stabalized and ejected from the spacecraft. The SRC lands at the Utah Test and Training Range (Utah, USA) 8:53 am MDT September 24, 2023, while the spacecraft is diverted into heliocentric orbit. After that the spacecraft is available to be used as NASA sees fit--though at that point the warranty would have expired .

The spacecraft touches the surface of Bennu with what looks like an old car air filter on the end of a 3-m long pogo stick. This is called the Touch And Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM). The spacecraft slowly falls under Bennu's tiny gravity and touches the surface with the TAGSAM head. Upon contact a jet of nitrogen gas is released to rocks and dust from the top couple centimeters into the TAGSAM head and trapped between a filter and mylar check valve. At the same time steel Velcro pads will collect surface dust. The pogo springs back and the thrusters fire the spacecraft a safe distance from Bennu. The contact takes less than 5 seconds. After sampling the spacecraft measures the mass of the sample by spinning with the arm extended to determine the change in inertia since before sapling. If there was a problem with collection, there are an additional two bottles of nitrogen for two more sampling attempts. If everything checks out the head is stowed in the sample return canister (SRC) and then severed from the arm. More at https://dslauretta.com/2015/04/20/development-of-the-osiris-rex-sampling-system-tagsam-and-the-src/ and

I'm glad you like the name. OSIRIS-REx was based on the mission objectives: Origins: Return and analyze a sample of pristine carbonaceous asteroid regolith Spectral Interpretation: Provide ground truth for telescopic data of the entire asteroid population Resource Identification: Map the chemistry and mineralogy of a primitive carbonaceous asteroid Security: Measure the Yarkovsky effect on a potentially hazardous asteroid Plus Egyptology is cool. We proposed OSIRIS twice in the NASA Discovery mission line, but the Agency selected nobody for our first cycle then Grail for our second. The biggest problem was we couldn't fit in the cost box for Discovery. We proposed for New Frontiers, with about double the budget and as a joke someone added REX to the end to signify it was bigger. The joke stuck, so we decided that REx must mean: Regolith Explorer: Document the regolith at the sampling site at scales down to the sub-cm NASA does love their acronyms. I'm fond of this passage Anyway, the spacecraft (or s/c) shipped to NASA KSC Friday and final preparations for launch September 8, 2016 at 7:05 EDT are underway. I am very much looking forward to your OSIRIS-REx model in KSP.

Obviously it is possible in real life, with two deep space maneuvers and an Earth gravity assist. I have not had time to play since the Bennu model was released--sorry. However, I have done the stock missions where you dock with space junk in Kerbolcentric orbit. It shouldn't be much different from that. You will not be captured by Bennu's gravity, you will need to approach it as if trying to dock. I'm not sure if KSP allows you to actually orbit once engaged in prox-ops, but that's not a big deal if you can't. We both sit in a two different semi-stable orbits and move from station to station to observe at different lighting conditions. Since KSP doesn't incorporate solar pressure your orbit won't precess properly so it won't be a perfect recreation.

If you are looking for more spacecraft images for your models or other information, yesterday there was the social media event I mentioned last month. This meant that photography was allowed in the cleanroom viewing windows e.g. https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/osirisrex/ https://twitter.com/hashtag/ToBennuAndBack?src=hash https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bennu?src=hash The night before I watched the TAGSAM sampler head was stowed for the last time before it is opened near Bennu! It will not see light until it reaches Bennu and no artificial light until it is opened at NASA Johnson Space Center, September 25, 2023. The giant balloon in the background was used to offset gravity on the arm while it is being actuated (an effective but Kerbal sort of solution). This work was done second shift to reduce other activities in the cleanroom which could be sources of contamination.

As we often say, "if it was easy it would have already been done." Sure practice with the Gilly mass, then when you are ready do it for real!

Not to go off topic, but if you are serious do some research on professionals in your area, but not necessarily on TV. See who is presenting at meetings, e.g. https://aas.org, http://spie.org/, etc. or publishing e.g. ADS, google scholar, etc. in your area. But only if you are serious. Be well prepared and polite when you contact someone.

That was my "internship" at UH. My 10th grade science fair project with Prof. Joan Oró at UH lead to an invitation to stay and assist his graduate students. Introduce yourself to professionals who share your passion and demonstrate and eagerness to learn and you may be able to do the same.

Sure, Intern: University of Houston: Houston, TX, USA (Biochemistry), 1987 A.B.: Occidental College: Los Angeles, CA, USA (Biochemistry), 1991 Fellow: NASA Specialized Center for Research and Training in Exobiology: San Diego, CA, USA, 1992-1996 Ph.D.: University of California, San Diego: San Diego, CA, USA (Biochemistry), 1997 Post-doctoral: SETI Institute/NASA Ames: Mountain View, CA, USA (Astrophysics, astrobiology), 2002 I can give you more on current work, awards, missions, and publications if you want.

If you want to cheat. The real OSIRIS-REx will orbit the real Bennu.

You rock! Sounds about right then. Pity there is no way to add the solar pressure to make it a real challenge.

Joy! Don't forget to look at the photos and videos of the real spacecraft to get the colors when modding. Professional grade

You still need to register, but "STK is a free 2D and 3D modeling environment to model complex systems and evaluate their performance in real or simulated time" It is still limited in what you can do for free. This is also drifting off topic, so 'nuff said.

http://www.agi.com/products/default.aspx We'll also have j-asteroid for planning and modeling, but not quite yet.

And it ain't cheap. But some universities have site licenses, perhaps you have access. There is also a free viewer or something, but I'm on a Mac so I can't use it. It is also overkill unless you want to launch it for real anyway.

Nope. We did our analysis with STK, and by "we" I mean a team of skilled navigators for years from NASA Goddard*, KinetX, and Lockheed Martin not including me. Besides a Project Scientist specializes in "why" Engineers specialize in "how." *Steven Hughes is a creator of GMAT but did not work directly on OSIRIS-REx.

Actually, if 67/P is there Bennu should be easy. Way better than my first attempt (bonus: guess the version of KSP).

I talked to Mike Nolan (whom you've cited) about getting data to help with the Bennu model. I'll post the higher resolution (but fictional) version when Mike gets it to me.

Let me see if I can get you the synthetic asteroid model we use.

The RD180 engines on the first stage gimbal to compensate for the solid rocket booster. The advantage is cost. KSP is far more generous with funds than reality.

That is awesome, and sounds way beyond my abilities (and available time).

Very cool!! The inclination does look steep by eye, but you'd need to measure it.

The JPL database is a good summary, but http://arxiv.org/pdf/1409.4704v1.pdf has the state of the art on Bennu.

Super idea, and I'm delighted at how excited the community is over this. Get engaged at: https://www.facebook.com/OSIRISREx https://twitter.com/OSIRISREx https://www.youtube.com/OSIRISREx https://www.instagram.com/osiris_rex/ https://plus.google.com/+OSIRISRExMission/posts http://dslauretta.com And apps http://www.cox7.com/video/osiris-rex-mobile-app/ http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/osirisrex.html

Here is TAGSAM in action https://videopress.com/v/rEhJ3Ugt and here is the nominal TAG sequence Taken from http://dslauretta.com/2014/02/14/sampling-an-asteroid-a-game-of-laser-tag/ and http://dslauretta.com/2015/04/20/development-of-the-osiris-rex-sampling-system-tagsam-and-the-src/