Ready to touch an asteroid? NASA's OSIRIS-REx is ready for touchdown on asteroid Bennu. The mission is ready to perform its “Matchpoint” rehearsal – the second practice run of the Touch-and-Go (TAG) sample collection event. The rehearsal will be similar to the Apr. 14 “Checkpoint” rehearsal, which practiced the first two maneuvers of the descent, but this time the spacecraft will add a third maneuver, called the Matchpoint burn, and fly even closer to sample site Nightingale – reaching an altitude of approximately 131 ft (40 m) – before backing away from the asteroid. This artist's rendering shows OSIRIS-REx spacecraft descending towards asteroid Bennu to collect a sample of the asteroid’s surface. Image Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona #nasa #exploration #space #asteroids #bennu #OSIRIS-Rex