OSIRIS-REx launched on September 8, 2016 from Cape Canaveral, FL on an Atlas V rocket. The asteroid operations mission began on August 17, 2018 when it captured its first image of Bennu from about 1.2 million miles away. OSIRIS-REx officially arrived at the asteroid Bennu on December3, 2018 where it transitioned from flying toward to operating around the asteroid. While at the asteroid OSIRIS-REx will be navigating in close proximity to the asteroid and will ultimately touch the surface for five seconds to gather a sample. OSIRIS-REx has five key objectives to complete which are return and analyze a sample of Bennu’s surface, map the asteroid, document the sample site, measure orbit deviation caused by nongravitational forces and compare observations at the asteroid to ground based observations before it starts its return trip back to Earth in March 2021.

The spacecraft, OSIRIS-REx will begin a detailed survey two months after slowing down to encounter the asteroid, Bennu. This process will last over a year as part of OSIRIS-Rex will be mapping potential sample sites. The sampling arm will make contact with Bennu’s surface for 5 seconds during which it will release a burst of nitrogen gas causing rocks and surface material to be stirred up and captured in a sampler. The spacecraft has enough nitrogen for three sample attempts. In March 2021, the window of return will open where OSIRIS-REx will begin its journey to Earth arriving back in September 2023.

According to Newton’s First Law of Motion, objects at rest or objects in motion have the property of inertia, which causes them to resist changes in motion. When a car crashes into a brick wall, the momentum of the car (inertia in motion) causes it to crumple. The same result occurs if the car is not moving but is struck by a moving object, like a big truck hitting it head-on.

Keeping that in mind, in this activity you will design, create and test a space helmet padding system for an "egg-stranaut." Here are some steps to follow:

1. Wrap your egg in a piece of plastic wrap or seal it inside a plastic bag.

2. Cut a water bottle in half. Hold the bottle inverted and insert the egg.

3. Select materials to protect the egg from impacts and pack them inside the helmet around the egg.

4. Temporarily remove the egg and weigh helmet and padding.

5. Test your helmet. (See the attached video.)

6. Record your observations before and after your test.

Spacesuits are one of the important enabling technologies permitting us to explore outer space. To survive in the hostile environment of space, we have to be covered with a protective shell as we exit a spacecraft. This shell contains a part of Earth's surface environment while remaining flexible and impervious to the unique hazards, such as high-speed particle impacts, like we explored in our last activity.

These requirements have meant that engineers and technicians had to spend long hours investigating and selecting appropriate materials, finding ways of fabricating and joining suit parts together, and providing operating pressure, power, and communications while assembling a garment that is both tough and flexible. The task was achieved with such great success that astronauts and cosmonauts have safely conducted thousands of hours of extra vehicular activity for over 55 years.

CHALLENGE: Design and build a protective garment that will permit future space travelers to explore the surface of Mars. The garment must protect the person inside from the hazards of the Martian environment while remaining comfortable to wear. Excursions on the surface will normally last 8 hours, but the garment will have to function as long as 10 hours in emergency situations. The garment must be flexible enough to enable the wearer to walk up to 10 kilometers, collect geologic samples, and operate a variety of tools and experimental apparatus. Furthermore, the garment's design must be rugged enough to permit repeated use and be able to be serviced simply and quickly. Along with the garment, design a collection of geologic sampling tools, such as rock hammers, and a general set of tools for assembly and repair activities. These tools should be easy to use while wearing the protective garment, be safe and rugged, and interface with a general purpose tool carrier that must also be designed.

MATERIALS: You may use whatever materials you find to construct the garment's components. Test these materials to ensure they will survive the Martian environment. Existing tools can be modified for use on Mars.