For as long as they've understood what asteroids actually are, scientists have pined for pristine samples that haven't had to endure hurtling through Earth's scorching atmosphere. The OSIRIS-REx probe, which launched in 2016, is finally returning its ultra-valuable payload--a bit of primordial star-stuff from the early solar system--to Earth. On September 24, a small capsule will land in the Utah desert, and secreted inside is at least two ounces of sample material from asteroid Bennu. It's been a long and sometimes arduous voyage, and we're joined by Anjani Polit, the Mission Implementation Systems Engineer for OSIRIS-REx.
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Anjani Polit
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