The ARES Team
The ARES Team
Ann Nguyen
As deputy lead of the OSIRIS-REx Sample Elements and Isotopes Working Group, Co-I Ann Nguyen is responsible for defining the analyses that will investigate the elemental and isotopic compositions of Bennu sample components.
Nguyen will characterize presolar grains, organic matter, and early solar system materials in the samples using the NanoSIMS 50L mass spectrometer at NASA-JSC. These analyses will provide insight into the nature and complex history of the asteroid.
Lindsay Keller
As Lead of OSIRIS-REx Carbonaceous Meteorites Working Group, Lindsay Keller
is responsible for the analysis of carbonaceous meteorite samples that are
analogous to the regolith expected on the surface of Bennu.
When the sample return from Bennu in 2023, Keller will investigate the mineralogy
and chemistry of the samples at atomic scales using a state-of-the-art transmission
electron microscope.
The priority science goals of this study include investigating the effect of solar
radiation on asteroidal surfaces, the geological history of the asteroid and the
nature and origin of the first solar system solids.
Nicole Lunning
Nicole Lunning is the Lead OSIRIS-REx Sample Curator within the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) division of NASA Johnson Space Center.
Kevin Righter
Kevin Righter is Deputy Curation Lead for OSIRIS-REx and mission Co-I since 2006. He was involved with collecting and archiving materials for contamination knowledge, design and construction and outfitting of the new Bennu asteroid sample cleanroom at NASA-JSC, and recovery of the Sample Return Capsule at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR) in 2023. He will also be part of the preliminary examination team that does early characterization of Bennu samples.
Christopher Snead
Christopher has been involved in the design, procurement and installation of equipment for the receipt of Bennu asteroid samples to be returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx misison, with an emphasis on contact pad documentation and particle removal.
Aaron Burton
Collaborator Aaron Burton is manager of microscale soluble
organic analysis instrument facility.
Simon Clemett
Collaborator Simon Clemett is manager of a unique laser-organic
mass spectrometer he designed and built.
Kathie Thomas-Keprta
Collaborator Kathie Thomas-Keprta is leading the analysis of
contamination knowledge surfaces for OSIRIS-REx spacecraft
construction.
Eve Berger
Collaborator Eve Berger, an organic geo- and cosmochemist, will help characterize organic materials and host minerals returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission. She will also contribute to the analysis of sample return capsule components.
Tanya Peretyazhko
Collaborator Tanya Peretyazhko will be performing ion chromatography measurements on the samples returned by the OSIRIS-REx mission to characterize dissolved inorganic anions and organic acids.
Kimberly Allums
Kimberly is the Astromaterials Curation Section Manager and OSIRIS-REx Contractor Project Lead.
Melissa Rodriguez
Melissa is the Contractor Lead for Astromaterials Current Collections, including OSIRIS-REx.
Rachel Funk
Rachel is the Lab Manager for the OSIRIS-REx Cleanroom and Section Lab. Rachel will help prepare laboratories where the Bennu material will be stored and curated. She will also help to develop sample handling procedures for this precious material that will help to keep the material pristine. Additionally, Rachel will process and prepare samples of the material to be allocated to the world-wide scientific community.
Salvador Martinez
Sal is the Lead Astromaterials Curation Engineer for OSIRIS-REx.
Neftali Hernandez
Neftali is the Astromaterials Curation Engineer for OSIRIS-REx.
Gabriel Lugo
Gabriel is the Astromaterials Curation Engineer for OSIRIS-REx.
Wayland Connelly
Wayland is designing advanced curation equipment that will be used for processing, storing, and analyzing O-REx samples.
Julia Plummer
Julia is a small particles processor supporting OSIRIS-REx. She specializes in handling extraterrestrial samples down to the micron scale and will process and prepare Bennu samples to the worldwide scientific community. Additionally, Julia has supported in designing custom materials compliant storage containers for flight hardware along with custom sample handling tools to ensure that the samples remain pristine.
Maritza Montoya
Maritza is an astromaterials processor supporting OSIRIS-REx.
Jannatul Ferdous
Jannatul is an astromaterials processor supporting OSIRIS-REx.
Curtis Calva
Curtis is an astromaterials processor supporting OSIRIS-REx.
Carla Gonzalez
Carla is an astromaterials processor supporting OSIRIS-REx.
Roger Harrington
Roger is an astromaterials processor supporting OSIRIS-REx.
The OSIRIS-REx Mission
The Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer
was selected by NASA as the third mission in its New Frontiers Program. The robotic
spacecraft launched in 2016 and will rendezvous with the near-Earth asteroid 1999 RQ36
(Asteroid Bennu) in 2020.