OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule Lands in the Utah Desert

Images

Wednesday, 27 September 2023

The sample return capsule from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is seen shortly after touching down in the desert, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at the Department of Defense's Utah Test and Training Range. The sample was collected from the asteroid Bennu in October 2020 by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.

Planetary Positions

22.12.2024 at 21:24:42 UTC

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	01 Cap 31' 50"
The Moon	01 Lib 07' 43"
Mercury	09 Sag 45' 38"
Venus	17 Aqu 45' 09"
Mars	04 Leo 25' 58" R
Jupiter	14 Gem 16' 18" R
Saturn	13 Pis 53' 37"
Uranus	23 Tau 53' 10" R
Neptune	27 Pis 11' 44"
Pluto	00 Aqu 47' 35"

Solar Status

BZ Status:	1
Proton Density:	1.08
Proton Speed:	568.6 k/sec
KP Status:	3.00

Type	Dec 22	Dec 23	Dec 24
Active	20%	20%	30%
Minor	5%	5%	15%
Moderate	1%	1%	5%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	3.00	2.33	2.67
03-06UT	2.00	2.67	2.00
06-09UT	3.00	2.00	2.33
09-12UT	2.00	2.00	2.33
12-15UT	2.00	1.00	2.33
15-18UT	1.00	2.00	2.33
18-21UT	1.00	2.00	2.33
21-00UT	2.00	2.67	2.67
Solar Activity
Solar activity reached moderate levels. Region 3932 (S17E49, Ekc/beta-gamma) produced an impulsive M1.0 flare at 22/0410 UTC; the largest event of the period. Regions 3928 (S13E27, Dki/beta-gamma), 3930 (S22W54, Cai/beta), 3932, and 3934 (N13E54, Dao/beta) underwent minor growth while the remaining regions were either stable or in decay. No Earth-directed CMEs were detected in available data.
Solar Wind
Solar wind parameters were mildly enhanced this period. Total field decreased from a peak of 9 nT to around 6 nT and Bz varied between +/-8 nT. Solar wind speeds ranged between 475-625 km/s.
Energetic Particle
The greater than 10 MeV proton flux remained elevated above background with a peak flux of 5 pfu observed at 21/1235 UTC. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux was at normal and moderate levels.

OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Capsule Lands in the Utah Desert

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