Amendment 5: Release of C.22 OSIRIS-REx Participating Scientist Program Final Text

This Amendment releases final text for C.22 OSIRIS-REx Participating Scientist Program.

OSIRIS-REx launched September 8, 2016, with the primary objective of traveling to the near-Earth (Apollo type, spectral class B) asteroid 101955 Bennu, obtaining a sample containing at least 60 g of regolith material, and delivering this sample back to Earth. Once the spacecraft reaches Bennu, a wide range of observations and measurements will be made to characterize and map the asteroid, identify and characterize in detail sites where samples might be collected, and finally to collect a sample from the optimal site and stow it for delivery to Earth.

The objective of the OSIRIS-REx Participating Scientist Program (OREx-PSP) is to enhance the scientific return during the asteroid-operational phase of the OSIRIS-REx mission by expanding participation in the mission through new investigations that broaden and/or complement existing investigations.

Draft text for the OREx-PSP was released in early March for community comment. This amendment releases final text OREx-PSP. Changes since the draft version include the addition of section 1.3.2 on the use of REXIS data, and revision of the FAQ in response to a wide variety of questions from the community during the comment period.

Step-1 proposals are due May 4, 2017, and Step-2 proposals are due July 11, 2017. Questions and comments on this draft program element may be directed to Jeffrey Grossman and/or Christina Richey at hq-orexpsp@mail.nasa.gov.