Scientists have fine-tuned the path of the asteroid Bennu and say the odds of it smacking into Earth are higher than previously thought but still quite low.

A NASA spacecraft is headed back to Earth with rubble it collected from an asteroid nearly 200 million miles away.

A spacecraft is beginning its 200 million mile journey back to Earth on Monday after taking samples from an asteroid.

A NASA spacecraft left a mess at an asteroid after grabbing a load of rubble last fall for return to Earth.

Quoting NASA, it’s a “large amount!” The spacecraft captured images of the sample collector head as it moved through several different positions. They came to this conclusion after comparing images of the empty collector head with Oct. 22 images of the TAGSAM head after the sample collection event. The OSIRIS-Rex team will now focus on stowing the sample in the Sample Return Capsule (SRC), where any loose material will be kept safe during the spacecraft’s journey back to Earth. Newly available analyses show that the collector head was flush with Bennu’s surface when it made contact and when a nitrogen gas bottle was fired to stir surface material. All data so far suggest that the collector head is holding much more than two ounces of regolith.

Tuesday evening marked another NASA milestone: A spacecraft called OSIRIS-REx touched an asteroid, called Bennu, and collected a sample for return to Earth! Over the past year, OSIRIS-REx has been orbiting Bennu and taking increasingly detailed images to find a site. When the mission was originally developed, it was assumed that Bennu would be mostly smooth, with lots of regolith (“dirt”) and perhaps some rocks. How does NASA know if they collected enough material to return to Earth? This is pretty cool science: once back in orbit around Bennu, OSIRIS-REx will extend the TAGSAM arm laterally out to the side of the spacecraft and spin the spacecraft.

Tuesday evening marked another NASA milestone: A spacecraft called OSIRIS-REx touched an asteroid, called Bennu, and collected a sample for return to Earth! If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566.

This undated image made available by NASA shows the asteroid Bennu from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. After almost two years circling the ancient asteroid, OSIRIS-REx will attempt to descend to the treacherous, boulder-packed surface and snatch a handful of rubble on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020. “Sampling is in progress.”Confirmation came from the Osiris-Rex spacecraft as it made contact with the surface of the asteroid Bennu more than 200 million miles away. Bennu’s gravity was too low for the spacecraft to land — the asteroid is just 1,670 feet (510 meters) across. Japan expects samples from its second asteroid mission — in the milligrams at most — to land in the Australian desert in December.

Proposed asteroid landing sites now down to four nomineesHere is the a video produced by NASA showing the entire asteroid and the location of the landing sites. Caption: Pictured are the four candidate sample collection sites on asteroid Bennu selected by NASAs Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS-REx, mission. Credits: NASA/University of ArizonaAfter spending months grappling with the rugged reality of asteroid Bennus surface, the team leading NASAs first asteroid sample return mission has selected four potential sites for the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft to tag its cosmic dance partner. In order to further adapt to Bennus ruggedness, the OSIRIS-REx team has made other adjustments to its sample site identification process. The four candidate sample sites on Bennu are designated Nightingale, Kingfisher, Osprey, and Sandpiper all birds native to Egypt.