After nearly four years of traveling through outer space , the Hayabusa2 space vehicle has successfully rendezvous with the Ryugu asteroid , the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency confirmed Wednesday . Let the next leg of this historic sample distribution - and - return mission set about !
Earlier today , mission controllers at JAXA set off Hayabusa2 ’s chemical actuation thrusters , bringing the ballistic capsule into reach around Ryugu , an asteroid that ’s just timid of one kilometer ( 0.6 nautical mile ) widely . Confirmation of the rendezvouswas made at 9:35 am Japan Standard Time ( JST ) . JAXA say Hayabusa2 ’s thrusters do work usually , and that the ballistic capsule is keep a changeless distance from Ryugu .
“ From this decimal point , we are planning to conduct explorative activities in the vicinity of the asteroid , include scientific observation of asteroid Ryugu and follow the asteroid for sample collection , ” explained JAXA in a press release .
The 1,300 Syrian pound Hayabusa2 probe , launched on December 3 , 2014 , is now about 180 million mile ( 290 million km ) from Earth . The probe will surveil Ryugu for the next 18 month , during which prison term its sampling equipment will collect bit of rubble and rock from the asteroid ’s airfoil . It will also dispatch four belittled probe onto the asteroid ’s open . Hayabusa2 will head up back home in December 2019 , arriving at Earth with its precious sample a year later .
The Ryugu asteroid has increasingly come into focusing over the past several days , give away a shape akin to a ball field or a spinning top ( or for you D&D fans out there , an eight - sided dice ) . It ’s bulging at the equator , and crater are distinctly visible , as are chunk of large rocks . Ryugu is spinning very tardily , about once every 7.5 hours , which is honorable word for the mission . For JAXA missionary post planners , the challenge now is to figure out the best spot for Hayabusa2 to scoot its sampling twist — a copper “ impactor”—into the asteroid .
“ We have an impactor which will create a small volcanic crater on the open of Ryugu , ” Makoto Yoshikawa , Hayabusa2 ’s foreign mission manager , toldthe BBC . “ Maybe in spring next year , we will attempt to make a volcanic crater … then our spacecraft will endeavor to get to into the crater to get the subsurface material . ”
By analyze the flake and slice that make up Ryugu , scientist are hoping to gain some crucial insight into the piece of the other Solar System and the conditions that founder raise to lifespan on Earth . asteroid are ancient objects , often incorporate traces of water and organic ( or carbon - rich ) material .
But that ’s for a late day . For now , permit ’s fete today ’s very important milestone .
[ JAXA , BBC ]
asteroidsAstronomyHayabusa2Science
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