News JAXA-Hayabusa mission news.

[Orbinaut Pete]

Here's a graphic showing where the sample canister is located within the re-entry capsule (the cylindrical object in the center).

And here's a photo of the sample canister now removed from the re-entry capsule.

 

[orb]

Here's a graphic showing where the sample canister is located within the re-entry capsule (the cylindrical object in the center).
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2010/06/img/20100623_hayabusa.jpg

And here's an article by Spaceflight Now, with English version of that graphic:
Scientists peer inside Hayabusa asteroid capsule.

 

[Namahage]

Some results are in.

There was a scare for a few days that there would be zero contents in the sample catcher. However, it appears there are some very minute contents. Here's a link to the article with a photo.

http://mainichi.jp/select/wadai/news/20100706k0000m040028000c.html


Unfortunately it's in Japanese but it appears they found 2 10-micrometer samples inside the sample catcher and "more than 10" 1-millimeter samples on the outside surface of the catcher. Beyond these samples there also appear to be several hundred particles of earthly origin that have been captured.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Unfortunately it's in Japanese but it appears they found 2 10-micrometer samples inside the sample catcher and "more than 10" 1-millimeter samples on the outside surface of the catcher. Beyond these samples there also appear to be several hundred particles of earthly origin that have been captured.

That's something, but more was expected, right?

 

[Wonderer]

I still haven't lost hope that it's unubtanium :hmm:

They were expecting more, probably a few rocks, but the rocket thingy that was supposed to blow a few rocks loose didn't work.

Or maybe unubtanium was too tough for the rocket thingy :hmm:

(I'll stop with the lame jokes :embarrassed

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Spaceflight Now: "Scientists find dust inside Japan's asteroid capsule".

BBC News: "Hayabusa capsule particles may be from asteroid".


View of particles inside the sample container.

Close-up view of a particle inside the sample container.

Super-magnified view of a particle inside the sample container. :lol:

 

[Namahage]

That's something, but more was expected, right?

I can't find any specific reference to desired quantities. I can only assume they had hoped to get more material. They do explain in their docs that due to the unknown nature of the surface properties it would be impossible to predict how successful the collection would be.

I did find this diagram of the collection method. A projectile with a mass of only a few grams was shot with unknown velocity at the surface. The resulting debris was supposed to find it's way up through the sample horn and into the container via momentum. I do not know he dimensions of the device.

 

[SiberianTiger]

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...e=Particles Found In Hayabusa Sample Canister

More than 90% of Compartment “A” still needs to be examined before the team goes on to Compartment “B,” which is hoped will contain more samples. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency hopes to begin basic analysis of the samples in late September.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Crowds flock to see Hayabusa asteroid probe capsule.

 

[Hartmann]

The bullet finally don´t was shooted , the particles must be from the contact of the sample catcher with the surface.

The only think that don´t understand is how they aren´t sure if the particles are from the earth or from itokawa. In theory the sample recipient MUST be clean of any traces of dust, bacteries, and contamination before the mission.:facepalm:

 

[SiberianTiger]

Kinda like a failure... However, my deep respect to Japanese engineers and flight controllers except for the team who designed the sampler device.

I'm sure other asteroid sampling mission will follow in this decade.

 

[exe-c]

Why they did't use such a simple and relieble device as drill?

 

[RisingFury]

Probably because of fear of contamination. Remember, you don't know what you're drilling into.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Why they did't use such a simple and relieble device as drill?

Did you ever drill? If you did, you know that for drilling, you must apply a pressure on your drill. Such a pressure within the almost non-existant asteroid's gravity would push the entire probe away from asteroid. Without knowledge of asteroid's composition, it also was not possible to invent a reliable anchoring method. So they decided to blow some of the surface with a bullet and hoped to collect material flying apart.

Probably something as simple and reliable as a velcro strip could be much better, though.

 

[SiberianTiger]

It's again a wrong probe thread...

 

[N_Molson]

http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1008/11japan/

Looks like an "Hayabusa 2" mission is on the paper :thumbup:

This time, it would target a C-type asteroid named "1999 JU3" (more or less 1 kilometer long).

The probe design would mostly be the same, with significant improvements on the systems that experienced failures (including the collection device).

 

[River Crab]

I'm a little surprised that they're going ahead with the Epsilon launcher. It sounds like a risk, especially since there's a political agenda ("economic stimulus"?) behind it, but then again, they're not NASA, and it's not an HLV. I'd be interested to see Japan do low-cost commercial launches.

Also, Hayabusa 2 is just an assumed nickname? MUSES-C was only named Hayabusa after it was orbited.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The Japan Times: "Hayabusa-2 gadgets get green light".

Can Hayabusa-2's timeline be met?

 

[River Crab]

The probe will be equipped with a newly developed device designed to create a crater on the asteroid's surface by using explosives to launch objects that will strike the surface at high speeds.

Reminds me of the Engineer in TF2:
"And if that don't work...use more gun."
:lol: Making a crater? It better work this time!

Also, this is Hayabusa-2's comptetition (it's old news, but if you don't know):

Daily Mail: Scientists plan Nasa mission to land on asteroid on possible collision course with Earth

UA News: OSIRIS-REx Project One of Three Finalists for NASA’s Next Space Venture

JAXA seems to be going broke, but NASA isn't doing so well either.
It's all relative, though; I think NASA might still end up with the bigger budget, even with the current state of things. I don't have hard numbers. :shrug:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The Japan Times: "Hayabusa analysis going slowly".