Xtronaut invites you to join the OSIRIS-REx mission with this exciting app. Through the app you will explore the latest mission updates, images, videos, tweets, as well as try to solve our mission themed puzzle.
The OSIRIS-REx mission seeks answers to questions that are central to the human experience: Where did we come from? What is our destiny? OSIRIS-REx is going to Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid that records the earliest history of our Solar System, and bringing a piece of it back to Earth. Bennu may contain the molecular precursors to the origin of life and the Earth’s oceans. Bennu is also one of the most potentially hazardous asteroids. It has a relatively high probability of impacting the Earth late in the 22nd century. OSIRIS-REx will determine Bennu’s physical and chemical properties. This will be critical for future scientists to know when developing an impact mitigation mission.
Xtronaut was formed to encourage interest and support for space exploration by expanding the notion of who is an explorer in todays world of robotic missions -- to include all the people involved in exploration -- scientists, engineers, educators, students, and the public as a whole -- not just the few fortunate enough to climb into a rocket. The expanded idea of these explorers -- Xtronauts -- includes the group that designs components and instruments, develops the software, launches the rockets, operates the vehicles, performs experiments, manages the programs, conducts research, participates in the related science, or simply appreciates the beauty of the universe revealed by the probes.
Children will discover that they Xtronauts all around -- and the can be Xtronauts, too!
Xtronauts are all part of EXTREME, EXTENDED, EXPLORATION.
Only a few can be astronauts -- but we can all be Xtronauts – going further and sooner!