Japan ’s space agency just launchedHayabusa2 , an ambitious deep quad mission to land on an asteroid , smack it with an interceptor , collect and riposte samples , and deploy rover . After a multi - mean solar day weather delay , the rocket salad blasted off a scene seaboard spaceport , take Hayabusa2 and a collection of opportunistic deputation into orbit .
Top image : H - IIA / B shell off with Hayabusa2 on - plug-in . Credit : captured from JAXA live flow .
bam off of the rocket carry Hayabusa2 . persona cite : JAXA
Weather has been miserable at Tanegashima for the retiring few days , pushing the mission back from the original November 30th object launching date . But the clouds finally clear , and the Eruca vesicaria sativa blasted off for a clean launch of Hayabusa2 .
The H - IIA / B rocket engine waiting on at the Tanegashima readiness . Image credit : JAXA
Hayabusa2 is a mystifying space missionary work by the Nipponese space means JAXA to explore asteroid1999 JU3 . The mission will arrive at the 1 - kilometre wide asteroid , drop a lander , crucify the asteroid with an impactor , equal down three times roll up samples , and send the sample home . The spacecraft will do an world - flyby in 2015 to build up velocity , and is schedule to get at the asteroid n 2018 .
Artist ’s concept of the Hayabusa 2 space vehicle leaving Earth . Image cite : JAXA
Thismission is the sequelto the2003 Hayabusa missionlaunched by JAXA to asteroid 1998SF36 , “ Itokawa . ” Theoriginal mission was a peck of near - disasters , with the space vehicle hitch home on game thrusters four years behind schedule withsamples . While Hayabusa visited an S - character asteroid , Hayabusa2 will be move for a C - type asteroid with a higher chance of organic and hydrous stuff .
Hayabusha2 under construction . Image cite : JAXA
The lander isMASCOT , acousintoPhilae . The ESA - manufactured lightweight lander is intended to have-to doe with down on the asteroid . The lander will be able-bodied to lurch its plaza of gravity , shift itself over if necessary . It will spill a triad of rovers , Minerva - II , to explore the asteroid ’s surface .
A rover , but without the steering wheel . Image credit : JAXA
The rover are n’t wheel around beast like we ’re customary to on Mars , but a hopping mess of sensors and sequel to the original mission ’s Minerva scouter . The original Minervas were ill - destine , missing the asteroid only .
While I ’m writing it as a totally reasonable mission , it ’s entirely outrageous . Check out just the sampling plan :
Between landers , rovers , impactors , and marker , this tote up up to 13 distinct spacecraft . AsEmily Lakdawalla put it in her piece for the Planetary Society , that ’s not a space vehicle , that ’s a settlement of robots !
Artist ’s concept of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft get in at asteroid 1999 JU3 . Image credit : JAXA
Along with the independent charge , the projectile is also carry a aggregation of other spacecraft hitching a ride up into space . Therocketpoolconsists ofShin - en 2,ARTSAT2 - DESPATCH , andPROCYON .
The skyrocket will spill a serial of spacecraft in improver to the main Hayabusa2 mission . Image credit : GoMiyazaki
All the missions on the roquette are destined for deep space beyond Earth .
Artsat2 - Despatch is an artistic microsatellite , a 3D print spiraling rosin carving incase in an aluminum container . JAXA will monitor how durable it is over time while also testing out the propagation of ham radio signals in space . Shinen 2 is another ham radio projection , communicate back to Earth from lunar reach . The final rocketpooler is an asteroid - tie in ballistic capsule : Procyon will do a simple flyby of an asteroid in January 2016 .
As is now downright - common for space broadcast , you may follow along with both missions on social media :
Hayabusa2and itslander Mascotare both on Twitter with excited personas . In keeping with the cuteness , they also have an lovely cartonful embodiment isseveralmangadedicated to their missionary work . Lakdawalla has a nice daily round - up of adorable mission - extras to congratulate launching footage on herPlanetary Society launching composition .
Read more about the Hayabusa2 delegation onSenand on thePlanetary Society , or get every launch detail onSpaceflight 101orSpaceflight Now .
DEEP SPACEHayabusa2launch report
Daily Newsletter
Get the good technical school , science , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
News from the future tense , have to your present .
You May Also Like
