---
title: "NASA Snaps Closeup Shots of Potential Asteroid Landing Site"
description: "The NASA space probe OSIRIS-REx recently took a low swoop near the surface of Bennu, the asteroid it’s been orbiting for the last two years. The spacecraft flew down to a region of Bennu called Osprey, where it came within 820 feet of the surface and took nearly 350 pictures that NASA stitched into […]"
date: "2020-06-08"
modified: "2020-06-08"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-closeup-shots-potential-asteroid-landing-site"
categories:
  - "NASA"
  - "Science & Energy"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "asteroid"
  - "bennu"
  - "NASA"
  - "space"
  - "the digest"
---

# NASA Snaps Closeup Shots of Potential Asteroid Landing Site

![The NASA spacecraft OSIRIS-REx recently flew near the surface of the asteroid Bennu to map out alternative landing sites for its sample collection mission.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/nasa-closeup-shots-potential-asteroid-landing-site.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona\</em\>*

## Flyby

The NASA space probe OSIRIS-REx recently took a low swoop over the surface of Bennu, the asteroid it's been orbiting for [the last two years](<https://futurism.com/asteroid-bennu-nasa-osiris-rex-mission>).

The spacecraft flew down to a region of Bennu called Osprey, where it came within 820 feet of the surface and took nearly 350 pictures that NASA stitched into a mosaic map, *[Space.com](<https://www.space.com/asteroid-bennu-sample-site-nasa-osiris-rex-close-pass.html>)*[ reports](<https://www.space.com/asteroid-bennu-sample-site-nasa-osiris-rex-close-pass.html>). OSIRIS-REx is expected to dislodge and gather samples from a different part of Bennu called Nightingale this October, but NASA will use this map to identify a backup landing zone within Osprey if something goes wrong.

## Counting Rings

When the time comes, the space probe will hover just above the surface of Bennu and gather up rocks from the surface, which would give NASA scientists a valuable glimpse into [ancient cosmic history](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-asteroid-osiris-rex-bennu-photograph>).

Bennu is particularly old, *Space.com* reports, potentially predating our entire solar system. And because it's so well-preserved, it could shed light onto how our solar system formed — or even how the building blocks of life reached Earth. But first, NASA actually needs to get its hands on those samples.

## Gathering Dust

On October 20, OSIRIS-REx will reach down with its 11-foot long robotic arm and blast Bennu with compressed nitrogen gas.

Then it will scoop up some of the rocks and dust it dislodges — just 2.1 ounces, *Space.com* reports — before shuttling the precious cargo back home at the [end of its mission](<https://www.asteroidmission.org/mission/>) in 2023.

**READ MORE:** [NASA spacecraft swoops down low over asteroid Bennu to eye sampling site](<https://www.space.com/asteroid-bennu-sample-site-nasa-osiris-rex-close-pass.html>) \[*Space.com*\]

**More on Bennu:** *[NASA Photographs Asteroid That Could Smash Into Earth in 22nd Century](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-asteroid-osiris-rex-bennu-photograph>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)