Public Lecture on Wednesday, July 31
July 15, 2019

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) invites inquisitive adults interested in current topics in space science and exploration to join us for the final presentation in the 2018–2019 Cosmic Explorations Speaker Series. Dr. Kevin Righter from NASA Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division will present “OSIRIS-REx.” The presentation will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, TX.
The Cosmic Explorations Speaker Series features some of the hottest topics in our solar system and beyond with the scientists who are making the discoveries. Dr. Righter is a planetary scientist and curator for both the Antarctic meteorites and Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) asteroid samples within the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at the Johnson Space Center.
The 2018–2019 series, “The LPI at 50: A Half Century of Solar System Exploration”, examines how our understanding of the solar system has changed greatly in the past 50 years. What was known about the solar system 50 years ago? How has our knowledge evolved in that time? How are planetary missions contributing to our evolving view of the solar system?
For those who are unable to attend, the presentation will be streamed live through the USRA Ustream channel. Recordings of past presentations are available on LPI’s YouTube channel.
2018–2019 Cosmic Explorations Speaker Series
September 6, 2018 – Dr. Kirsten Siebach, Rice University, Curiosity and our Evolving View of the Red Planet
November 15, 2018 – Dr. Fran Bagenal, University of Colorado – Boulder, NASA’s Juno Mission: What’s New at Jupiter?
January 24, 2019 – Dr. Linda Spilker, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Surprises in the Saturn System
March 7, 2019 – Dr. Carly Howett, Southwest Research Institute, Ultima Thule: NASA's Exploration of an Ancient and Distant World
May 9, 2019 – Dr. Bruce Banerdt, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, InSight into Planetary Interiors
July 31, 2019 – Dr. Kevin Righter, NASA ARES, OSIRIS-REx and asteroids
For more information, visit:
Cosmic Explorations Speaker Series
Video Archive