NASA OSIRIS-Rex Arrives In Florida Ahead Of Launch

First Posted: May 23, 2016 06:00 AM EDT

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has just arrived at the Kennedy Space Center ahead of its launch for mission to explore and sample an asteroid - a feat that is seen for the first time in human history. The launch of the vehicle is set for September 2016, and is expected to reach the asteroid by 2018. The sample, however, is expected to arrive back on Earth no earlier than the year 2023.

Asteroid Sampling Mission OSIRIS-REx Arrives at Florida Launch Base @ken_kremer https://t.co/4wj1F7lkmB pic.twitter.com/yQKRDn92kj

— Universe Today (@universetoday) May 23, 2016

The vehicle, called the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security - Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) is set to travel to the asteroid Bennu, where it will gather sample material from the body surface, and is expected to return with specimen coming back to Earth, containing about 2.1 ounces of material from the body.

NASA officials announced the arrival of the observatory at the space center on the east coast of Florida, saying that "The OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Sept. 8. The two-hour launch window opens at 7:05 p.m. EDT."

According to Tech Times, this mission will hopefully answer mysteries regarding the birth of the solar system, and scientists are hoping that analysis should reveal how water and other organic materials may have arrived on our planet.

This mission could have ramifications that can be used for the future or private space travel. Asteroids rich in minerals and materials could be valuable to astronauts in the future, and even humans on Earth today, as there is the very large possibility that the spacecraft could reveal the asteroids being ripe for mining of valuable raw minerals.

The discovery of gold in California in the 19^th century triggered a gold rush - and the rich materials in these asteroids could set off a boom in space exploration. Space News noted that OSIRIS=REx will e the first mission to return samples from an asteroid, but will not be the first in such mission - it is the third in the New Frontiers series to take special missions in the universe. The first, "New Horizons," flew past Pluto last year, while the second mission, Juno, is expected to enter orbit around Jupiter on July 4.