Statement of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

The OSIRIS-REx Mission Sample Reveal

LONGUEUIL, QC, Oct. 11, 2023 /CNW/ - On September 24, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission delivered a sample from asteroid Bennu to Earth after a seven-year journey through space. Earlier today, NASA offered a first look at the Bennu sample from the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Thanks to contributing the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter (OLA), Canada will receive a portion of the sample, thus becoming the fifth country in the world to curate a sample collected in space.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, made the following statement:

"The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft recently delivered to Earth what is believed to be a remnant of our solar system's formation. Having access to a portion of the returned sample paves the way for exciting careers for Canadian and international scientists and will help refine our understanding of our solar system's history, how our planet formed, and possibly the origin of water and life on Earth.

Once again, Canada played a key role in an exceptional space mission. As part of the OSIRIS-REx mission, Canadian instrument OLA scanned and mapped asteroid Bennu in more detail than any other celestial object. Data from OLA helped the mission experts select the best site from which to collect the sample. Canada's contribution confirmed our reputation as a sought-after partner for space exploration missions.

Going to asteroid Bennu to map it, collect a sample and bring it back to Earth is a clear demonstration of what we can accomplish when the brightest minds work together towards an ambitious objective, and it reinforces the importance of national and international collaborations in space endeavours.

I want to thank and congratulate the Canadian Space Agency and their partner NASA, as well as the Canadian companies and scientists that made Canada's contribution possible."

Website: asc-csa.gc.ca
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SOURCE Canadian Space Agency

Canadian Space Agency, Media Relations Office, Telephone: [phone], Email: [email protected]