NASA just landed on asteroid Bennu. What you need to know about the mission - CNET

The Osiris-Rex spacecraft attempted to swipe souvenirs from Bennu on Tuesday to bring home to Earth.

Artist's conception of NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft and the asteroid Bennu.

Editors' note: Osiris-Rex has touched down on Bennu.

NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft briefly touched down on a large asteroid Tuesday to snag some rocks and dust from its surface to be returned to Earth for study.

The touch-and-go, or TAG, sample collection of asteroid 101955 Bennu was deemed a success at around 3:12 p.m.

In recent months, rehearsals led up to the sample collection attempt. .

The result is a body shaped something like a spinning top with a diameter of around one-third of a mile (500 meters) and a surface strewn with large rocks and boulders. 2

The basic plan was for Osiris-Rex to touch down on Bennu at a rocky landing site dubbed Nightingale.

The van-size spacecraft would need to negotiate building-size boulders around the landing area to touch down on a relatively clear space that's only as large as a few parking spaces.

The descent to the surface of Bennu took roughly four hours, about the time it takes the asteroid to make one full revolution.

Mission organizers initially hoped the surface of Bennu would have plenty of potential landing spots covered primarily with fine materials comparable to sand or gravel.

Immediately after collecting its sample, Osiris-Rex fired its thrusters to back away from Bennu