Learning About Space

By Johnathan Brackett, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador

As a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, I have numerous opportunities to share exciting news about NASA missions and programs with my community. One of my favorite things is presenting at local school STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Nights. Most children believe NASA is only about astronauts and rocket ships. My position allows me to educate about the numerous ways NASA uses STEM subjects, such as robotics and coding, when creating a mission and to ensure children of all backgrounds have access to STEM resources.

The OSIRIS-REx mission is an excellent example of how thousands of people contribute to the success of a mission. After a nearly five-year journey to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, a spacecraft will be bringing back samples of material from the asteroid’s rocky surface, offering scientists a peek into the formation of our solar system.

OSIRIS-REx, short for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer, was launched in September 2016 on a challenging mission – to study the asteroid Bennu. In December 2018, the spacecraft reached its destination, allowing over 4,000 researchers, including the author, to map Bennu’s rocky surface and select a smooth target sampling site named Nightingale.

The sample collection, which took place in October 2020, was a risky touch-and-go operation to gather material from Bennu’s surface. OSIRIS-REx used a robotic arm to release a burst of nitrogen gas, stirring up regolith (loose rocky material) collected in the sampler head. This mission marked the first time NASA successfully collected a sample from an asteroid, showcasing the agency’s technological capabilities.

After successfully stowing the samples, OSIRIS-REx began its long journey back to Earth. The spacecraft has covered over 200 million miles through space and is now on course for its re-entry. The sample return capsule is expected to touch down in the Utah desert on September 24, 2023.

The OSIRIS-REx mission will advance our understanding of Earth and pave the way for the exploration of other asteroids. As humanity reaches further into the cosmos, these missions will need thousands of workers from various backgrounds and STEM fields.

In September, as OSIRIS-REx parachutes down to the Utah desert, the world will witness a testament to human ingenuity, perseverance, and the quest for knowledge. The asteroid samples brought back to Earth by this mission have the potential to rewrite textbooks, igniting our curiosity about the universe and inspiring future generations.

I encourage you to learn more about the OSIRIS-Rex mission at https://www.asteroidmission.org/.

Solar System Ambassadors are educators, space scientists, librarians, and space enthusiasts selected by NASA to host events in their communities.

More information at visit https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system-ambassadors.

Ryan’s Remarks Continued

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Disneyworld. And, it is what Disney is selling. We are supposed to act like kids and smile there, so we do. And in case you missed the memo, it is okay to have fun each day of your life. It is contagious.

3. People love technology yet miss the personal touch. How many of us want someone to handle our requests promptly, get things right the first time, and save us time/stress when dealing with a problem we’ve had with a good, service, etc.? I know I do. But instead, we hear, “For faster service, visit us online.” Note: This is CODE for “Don’t call us. We are busy; if you go online, we don’t have to talk to you or staff as many people.” Thus, be sure technology works for us and that we do not work for it. The personal touch in relationships built on trust matters now more than ever. Small businesses usually get this right, so please support one in our community today.

If we want to communicate more effectively, we must consider our audience. Do we encourage others? Do we make other people smile, laugh, and have fun? After all, adults are just big kids at heart. Being “normal” (whatever that means) is pretty dull. People want to see real, genuine, and authentic behavior. So, be YOU and enjoy living in your own skin, and quit worrying about what other people are doing. You know the whole FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) type thinking.

People will talk about you no matter what you do. So, my advice is to give them something good to talk about. Time is ticking and today is “a present,” “the present,” and “our present.” So, make the best out of each hour you have and encourage and inspire each other.

I wish everyone a super September and encourage you to make someone’s day. WOW them. Why? Because it feels great and it is an amazing thing to do. Be upbeat, be encouraging, smile, laugh – and if all else fails, “fake it until you feel it.” And until next time, and as always, thank you for continuing with me on the journey of my town, your town, OUR TOWN!