NASA
Where is OSIRIS-APEX (formerly OSIRIS-REx) now?
Today OSIRIS-APEX (formerly OSIRIS-REx) is 0.611 au (91.5 million km) from Earth and 1.1 au from the Sun. Its radio signals take 5 min 5 s to reach us. It is moving away from Earth at 0.9 km/s.
In our sky it is in Sagittarius (right ascension 18h 36m 39s, declination −23° 10′ 16″), but far too faint to see.
Where it is in the Solar System
Seen from above the plane of Earth’s orbit, with the Sun in the middle: the planets’ orbits, the spacecraft today and its path a year back and a year ahead (where JPL’s trajectory covers it).
Mission
After returning a sample of asteroid Bennu, the spacecraft is headed to asteroid Apophis to study changes from its 2029 Earth encounter.
| Agency | NASA |
|---|---|
| Launch | September 8, 2016 |
| Destination | Bennu, Apophis |
| Status | Active mission; rendezvous with Apophis planned for June 2029. |
Milestones
- December 3, 2018Arrived at asteroid Bennu. Source
- October 20, 2020Collected a sample of rocks and dust from Bennu's surface. Source
- May 10, 2021Departed Bennu for Earth. Source
- September 24, 2023Delivered the Bennu sample to Earth. Source
- September 23, 2025Earth flyby at 3,438 km. Source
- 2029-06Planned rendezvous with asteroid Apophis. Source
Position: JPL Horizons, October 13, 2026. NASA · Data sources
How to use this page
The page shows where the spacecraft is now, its path through the solar system, its key facts and its main milestones, from NASA JPL’s data.
Frequently asked questions
How is the position worked out?
From NASA JPL Horizons, which publishes the trajectories of spacecraft. The page is refreshed daily.
Can I see it in the sky?
No. Deep space probes are far too small and far away to see, even with a large telescope.
How do we talk to it?
Through NASA’s Deep Space Network, large radio dishes in California, Spain and Australia.