#ICYMI: @OSIRIS_REx crushed it! We made a rocky mess, but it’s the kind of mess on the surface of asteroid Bennu that we were hoping for. Shown here are a series of crisp images taken on Oct. 20 from OSIRIS-REx’s robotic arm as our spacecraft swooped, scooped, and then thrusted away from the asteroid’s rocky terrain. Though it took several hours for OSIRIS-REx to reach the surface, the TAG (Touch-and-Go) encounter only lasted for about 6 seconds. FULL DISCLOSURE: We’ve watched this at least 1,000 times. Two days after touching down, the mission team received images that confirmed the spacecraft collected more than enough rocks & dust to meet one of its main mission requirements – at least 2 ounces (60 grams) - for return to Earth in 2023. Credit: NASA / @NASAGoddard / @UArizona #ToBennuAndBack #RockClimbing #NASA #Space #Asteroid #NASA #PlanetaryScience