Dante S. Lauretta

TL;DR: The authors show the operational environment of asteroid Bennu, validate its photometric phase function and demonstrate the accelerating rotational rate due to YORP effect using the data acquired during the approach phase of OSIRIS-REx mission.

TL;DR: In this paper, the geologic diversity of asteroids and other rocky bodies of the solar system are displayed in the enormous variety of textures and mineralogies observed in meteorites, and the composition, chemistry, and mineralogy of primitive meteorites collectively provide evidence for a wide variety of chemical and physical processes.

TL;DR: The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft departed for near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu via an United Launch Alliance Atlas V 411 evolved expendable launch vehicle at 7:05 p.m. EDT on September 8, 2016, on a seven-year journey to return samples from Bennu as discussed by the authors.

TL;DR: Early OSIRIS-REx observations of Bennu are considered to understand how the asteroid’s properties compare to pre-encounter expectations and to assess the prospects for sample return.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present calculations of the compositions of terrestrial planets that formed in dynamical simulations incorporating varying degrees of giant planet migration, and demonstrate that although a wide variety of terrestrial planet compositions can still be produced, planets with Earth-like compositions should be common within known extrasolar planetary systems.