CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla | NASA spacecraft arrives at ancient asteroid, its 1st visitor
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — After a two-year chase, a NASA spacecraft has arrived at the ancient asteroid Bennu, its first visitor in billions of years.
The robotic explorer Osiris-Rex pulled within 12 miles (19 kilometers) of the diamond-shaped space rock Monday. It will get even closer in the days ahead and go into orbit around Bennu (BEN-oo) on Dec. 31. No spacecraft has ever orbited such a small cosmic body. Bennu is estimated to be 1,600 feet (487 meters) across.
