NASA’s first asteroid sample lands in Utah desert

The US space agency NASA brought home the largest asteroid sample ever returned to Earth on Sunday, 24 September. The capsule landed in a training range near Salt Lake City in Utah at around 3.55pm BST. Aerial visuals show the capsule and its accompanying parachute in the Utah desert. The Osiris-Rex spacecraft was launched by NASA on September 8, 2016. It collected a sample – roughly 250 grams – of rocks and dust from the surface of an asteroid, called Bennu, on October 20, 2020. Osiris-Rex set off back to Earth with the sample on 10 May 2021. Click here to subscribe to The Independent: https://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-Independent About The Independent: Making Change Happen. The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. Connect with The Independent: Check out our full video catalog: https://www.youtube.com/c/theindependent/videos Videos, daily editorial and more: http://www.theindy.com Click here to get the best of The Independent daily: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Like The Independent on Facebook: https://www.fb.com/TheIndependentOnline Follow The Independent on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Independent Follow The Independent on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.independent Download the iOS & Android app: https://www.independent.co.uk/subscribe/app Help to support truly independent journalism. Every dollar you contribute will directly fund additional special reports and investigations from a free-thinking, award-winning newsroom you can trust - https://www.independent.co.uk/donations Subscribe to Independent Premium for exclusive content & live events: https://bit.ly/2MiOONB