OSIRIS-REx embarks on cosmic treasure hunt

On the day that marked half a century since the first "Star Trek" episode aired on TV, a NASA space probe boldly took off toward an asteroid called Bennu on Thursday, to dig up and bring back some cosmic dust that could hold clues to the birth of our solar system. It's another example of NASA "turning science fiction into science fact," said NASA's chief scientist Ellen Stofan from the launch location in Cape Canaveral, Fla., where thousands had gathered for the sendoff. A robotic hunter that resembles a bird with solar-panel wings outstretched, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft was launched into space before sunset atop an Atlas V rocket on Thursday. The SUV-sized robot is expected to travel for two years to reach its destination: a huge rock that's orbiting the sun at a slightly wider orbit than Earth. Bennu is about a third of a mile wide and taller than the Empire State Building.