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Spacecraft programmed at IV&V Facility in White Hall approaches asteroid 1.2 billion miles away

By EDDIE TRIZZINO

Times West Virginian

Members of the IV&V OSIRIS-REx team pose with awards at the facility’s past internal awards event.
(Submitted photo)

FAIRMONT, W.Va. – NASA is finding answers to the origins of the galaxy, the solar system and life itself, and Fairmont is playing a part in this endeavor.

Programmers and engineers from the IV&V Facility in White Hall have assisted in programming a spacecraft, the OSIRIS-REx, which arrived at its destination 1.2 billion miles away, the asteroid Bennu, Monday afternoon. For the programmers, playing a role in this accomplishment is a dream.

“Personally speaking, I found it to be inspiring,” David Turner, software analyst at IV&V, said. “It’s really cool to know that something you worked on for years has traveled billions of miles across the solar system and it’s going to touch a rock that has potentially been undisturbed for millions, if not billions, of years and bring a piece of it back to earth. It’s pretty incredible to know that you played a role in making that happen.”

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