  The OSIRIS-REx Visible and Infrared Spectrometer (OVIRS) is a point
spectrometer covering the spectral range of 0.4 to 4.3 microns (25,000-2300
cm-1). Its primary purpose is to map the surface composition of the asteroid
Bennu, the target asteroid of the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission.
The information it returns will help guide the selection of the sample site. It
will also provide global context for the sample and high spatial resolution
spectra that can be related to spatially unresolved terrestrial observations of
asteroids. It is a compact, low-mass (17.8 kg), power efficient (8.8 W
average), and robust instrument with the sensitivity needed to detect a 5%
spectral absorption feature on a very dark surface (3% reflectance) in the
inner solar system (0.89-1.35 AU). It, in combination with the other
instruments on the OSIRIS-REx Mission, will provide an unprecedented view of an
asteroid's surface.
