Watch the Historic Landing of the OSIRIS-REx Sample Capsule on Sunday Night. Touchdown on desert land belonging to the Department of Defense is expected at 08:55 local time (14:55 GMT; 15:55 BST).

Exciting Mission Update: Osiris-Rex Returns With Asteroid Bennu Samples

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming conclusion of a remarkable seven-year mission to study one of the most intriguing rocks in the Solar System – asteroid Bennu. The Osiris-Rex spacecraft, a marvel of NASA's space exploration efforts, is on its way back to Earth, carrying precious "soil" samples gathered from the surface of Bennu.

This extraordinary journey will reach its climax on Sunday when Osiris-Rex makes a daring return to Earth. The dusty materials collected from Bennu will be safely transported within a protective capsule designed to withstand the intense heat of re-entry. The capsule is set to land in the US State of Utah.

The scientific community is eagerly awaiting the analysis of these samples, which are expected to provide invaluable insights into the formation of our planets some 4.5 billion years ago. Additionally, they may hold clues about the origins of life on Earth, making this mission even more extraordinary.

As the capsule re-enters Earth's atmosphere, it will face extreme conditions, hurtling at speeds exceeding 27,000mph and enduring temperatures exceeding 3,000°C. However, meticulous planning and state-of-the-art technology, including a thermal shield and parachutes, ensure a safe landing on the desert plain.

Dante Lauretta, the mission's principal investigator, expresses the team's readiness for this critical phase: "We have spent an inordinate amount of time preparing for contingencies, everything that could go wrong, all the horrible things that we might encounter. But the good news is we've practiced and practiced and practiced, so we're ready to go."

The Osiris-Rex mission began in 2016, embarking on a journey to explore Bennu, a celestial body that poses a minimal threat of impacting Earth in the distant future. After two years of observation, the spacecraft successfully acquired a cache of surface materials from Bennu, weighing approximately 250g (8oz).

As we approach this momentous event, a "go, no-go" decision will be made four hours before re-entry, ensuring all conditions are optimal for the capsule's release. While the recovery teams are confident, they remain vigilant, recognizing the importance of every precaution.

The specter of past missions, such as Genesis, looms large, but experts assure us that rigorous checks and safeguards have been implemented to prevent any mishaps. The recovery teams have even considered the unusual desert weather this year, marked by rain and puddles that could pose challenges.

Meteorologists at the Utah Test and Training Range have closely monitored weather conditions to pinpoint the capsule's final drop position. Although the capsule will dangle on its main chute for five minutes, with light winds expected, any deviation from the intended path is likely to be minimal.

Upon reaching the ground, helicopters will transport the capsule, cradled in a net, to a temporary cleanroom at Dugway, where it will be enclosed in nitrogen for safe transit to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas. These meticulous procedures aim to preserve the integrity of the Bennu samples, free from earthly contamination.

Christopher Sneed, the deputy curator on the Osiris-Rex mission, underscores the significance of these samples: "Bennu is what we call a carbonaceous asteroid. We think that these types of bodies are the building blocks for the planets, and they go back to the beginning of the Solar System. We can find inclusions and materials in there that created the planets, the elements that made our planet and also perhaps the compounds that started life on Earth."

Following this monumental achievement, Osiris-Rex will continue its mission and journey to another asteroid named Apophis, with a rendezvous expected in 2029.

Stay tuned for further updates on this extraordinary space odyssey, which promises to expand our understanding of the universe and our place within it.