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Hayabusa 2

Japan'southward Hayabusa 2 spacecraft has spent more than three years alone in the emptiness of space on its way to rendezvous with an asteroid. The Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) has now confirmed that Hayabusa ii is in position to begin its principal science operations. On the agenda are numerous mapping and remote surveys, as well every bit a cursory landing to collect samples for return to Earth.

The spacecraft has spent the last 3 and a half years traveling 177 million miles (285 one thousand thousand kilometers) from Earth to encounter up with the asteroid Ryugu. This object is about one-half a mile across and a member of the carbon-rich C-type asteroid family. Scientists believe these objects contain material that has remained undisturbed since the formation of the solar organization. Thus, it's something scientists would really similar to written report when it hasn't been super-heated while falling to Globe.

Hayabusa ii won't enter orbit of Ryugu. After shutting down its ion engines several weeks agone, the arts and crafts has used maneuvering thrusters to chart a zig-zag pattern as it closes in on Ryugu. Later on scanning for droppings in the space around the asteroid, Hayabusa 2 has taken up station 12 miles (xx kilometers) above the surface.

JAXA plans to accept loftier-resolution photos and gravitational readings over the coming months. After charting the surface, Hayabusa two volition endeavour every bit many as 3 brief landings. The team hopes to collect at least one gram of material from the surface of Ryugu. The kickoff try volition occur in October of this twelvemonth, and some other could happen as soon as February 2019. Hayabusa 2 also carries a small impactor, which should exist able to produce a crater. The squad may choose to land a third time inside that crater to collect a sample. This mission is like to NASA'due south OSIRIS-King, which volition reach a different asteroid later this yr to collect a sample and return information technology to Earth.

The asteroid Ryugu.

This is not the first JAXA mission to grab a piece of an asteroid. The original Hayabusa probe studied the asteroid Itokawa in 2005. While that mission wasn't a failure, it was far from a complete success. The spacecraft experienced issues with fuel leaks and a buggy sample collection mechanism. The mission collected less than ane milligram of material from the asteroid, far less than desired.

JAXA says Hayabusa two differs in that information technology's a science mission first and foremost. The original Hayabusa was a engineering demonstration mission that came with greater risks. This time, designers are more confident the probe will perform every bit expected. Then, in the next few years, both OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa 2 could send bits of aboriginal asteroids back to Earth for study.