WATCH: NASA launches spacecraft to land on an asteroid

DENVER, Co. (KLKN) — NASA’s first-ever mission to land on an asteroid is broadcasted lived.

The spacecraft, OSIRIS-REX, is looking to land on asteroid Bennu. It will touch down for only a few seconds to capture rocks and dust.

Although the craft will make contact with the asteroid for a short amount of time, OSIRIS-REX will not depart from Bennu until 2021 to deliver the sample to Earth by 2023.

NASA predicts that this mission will yield the largest samples returned from space since the Apollo era.

NEW AT DIS HOUR: @NASA is broadcasting LIVE as their spacecraft descends to the surface of asteroid Bennu. It will touch the surface to try to gather rocks/dust.https://t.co/g0HrxxKQU5#NEwx | #INwx | #SpaceIsCool | @Channel8ABC

— John Dissauer (@johndissauer) October 20, 2020