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WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. space agency NASA on Thursday launched the nation's first mission that will visit an asteroid and bring precious samples back to Earth.
The Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) spacecraft lifted off atop an Atlas V rocket at 7:05 p.m. EDT (2305 GMT) as planned from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
