NASA Explorers Season 6, Episode 1: Launch

A journey of a billion miles and back begins with a launch.

OSIRIS-REx's goal: Travel to asteroid Bennu, collect a sample, and return it home. But why Bennu? Meet the NASA Explorers looking for clues to our early solar system in a sample of asteroid rock.

It’s not rockets and satellites that make NASA soar. It’s people. Go inside the space agency and follow the pioneers, risk-takers and experts at the frontline of exploration. This season, follow along with the OSIRIS-REx team, as they launch a spacecraft to an asteroid, collect a sample of Bennu, and bring it home to Earth.

Created by: James Tralie
Producers: James Tralie, Dan Gallagher, Lauren Ward, Katy Mersmann
Scientists: Dante Lauretta, Mike Drake, Dani DellaGiustina, Christina Richey, Jason Dworkin, Rich Kuhns, Sandy Freund, Olivia Billett
Videographers: Rob Andreoli, John Philyaw, John Caldwell
Animation: Walt Feimer, Michael Lentz, Jonathan North, Adriana Manrique Gutierrez, Krystofer Kim, James Tralie, Bailee DesRocher, Jacquelyn DeMink, Lisa Poje
Sound Design: James Tralie
Data Visualization: Kel Elkins
NASA+ Executive Producer: Rebecca Sirmons

Music provided by Universal Production Music: “Vortex” Tom Sue and Zac Singerz; “Tested to the Limit” Krantz; “Interstellar” Alan Myson; “Ascension” Alan Myson; “In a Perfect World” Angus Pendergast; “Tough Terrain” Ty Unwin; “Do Androids Dream” Aidan Lavelle; “Kyoto Vision” Andy Blythe and Marten Joustra; “Presidential Destiny” Laurent Dury; “Driving Force” Ben Niblett and Jon Cotton; “Break the Rules” Tihomir Hristozov; “Deadlock” Dean McGinnes; “Final Preparations” Alan Boyd; “Tundra Sunrise” Ty Unwin; “Zero In” Airglo; “Stepping out of the Darkness” Ty Unwin; “Dark Intensity” Jeremy Smith; “Regeneration” Andy Blythe and Marten Joustra; “Warm Drift” Alan Myson; “Distant Suns” Jason Soudah; “Scenes of Devastation” Benji Merrison and Will Slater; “Look to the Stars” Alan Boyd; “Warming” Benji Merrison and Will Slater

Credit: NASA