Updates Rebirth of the Immortal Falcon: JAXA Hayabusa 2 updates

[IronRain]

Hayabusa 2 is the follow-on mission to the Hayabusa mission as proposed by JAXA. The goal for Hayabusa 2 is to build upon the legacy of the original mission, by strengthening the shown weak points. As of January 2011, the target is asteroid (162173) 1999 JU3 with a proposed launch in July 2014, with backup launch opportunities in December 2014, June and December 2015. Hayabusa 2 would then be expected to arrive to the target in 2018, survey the asteroid for a year and a half, depart in December 2019, and return to the earth in December 2020. The next mission will feature more durable ion engines, upgraded guidance and navigation technology, and new antennas and attitude control systems. Operations at the asteroid will be similar to those of the previous Hayabusa, but with an explosive device to dig the asteroid surface for fresh sample material.

Spaceflight Now's article:

The Space Activities Commission, a board governing funding for the Japanese space program, formally approved the Hayabusa 2 mission last week. The decision came after a 2010 ruling that directed the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to continue preliminary design of the probe.
Launch of Hayabusa 2 must occur in 2014 to reach asteroid 1999 JU3, the mission's 3,000-foot-diameter target. Asteroid 1999 JU3, which is still awaiting a name, is a C-type body, the most common form of asteroid in the solar system. Observations by telescopes on Earth indicate the asteroid is roughly spherical and has dark features.
The probe would reach the asteroid in mid-2018 and depart in December 2019. Landing on Earth is expected at the end of 2020, according to JAXA.
Japan is working on a tight schedule and budget to develop the spacecraft in time for the narrow launch window, which is timed for when the asteroid is in the right position relative to Earth. JAXA officials say a back-up launch opportunity exists in 2015, but the mission would have to wait a decade longer to get off the ground if the probe misses the secondary window.
The project will receive $39 million in the Japanese fiscal year beginning April 1, according to documents released by the Space Activities Commission.
JAXA previously reported the Hayabusa 2 mission's total cost will be more than $200 million.



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[orb]

Universe Today: Hayabusa 2 Mission Approved by Japanese Government

NewScientist: Hayabusa's asteroid-sampling mission, take two

 

[orb]

SPACE.com: Japan Eyes New Space Mission to Sample an Asteroid

 

[orb]

JAXA - Asteroid Explorer "Hayabusa2":

December 27, 2012 Updated
Hayabusa2 revealed before the first integration test

On Dec. 26, the Hayabusa2 was revealed at the Sagamihara Campus. As its design was completed this spring, the Hayabusa2 will soon undergo the first integration test to confirm the interfaces among onboard devices as well as between the devices and the explorer’s bus after assembling them onto the bus. Also, the flight models of the Hayabusa2’s main body and solar array paddles have already been manufactured, thus those models will be verified through a vibration test. In addition, the exposed environment for the onboard devices will also be measured. JAXA is developing the Hayabusa2 to be ready for its launch in 2014.

 

[orb]

JAXA Press Release:

Asteroid Explorer “Hayabusa2”
Name and Message Campaign
- Let’s meet with Le Petit Prince! Million Campaign 2 –​

March 29, 2013 (JST)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)​

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is scheduled to launch the asteroid explorer “Hayabusa2”*1 on the H-IIA Launch Vehicle in 2014. The Hayabusa2 will arrive at an asteroid in 2018 to investigate it for one and half years, before returning to Earth in 2020.

JAXA will record and load your names, messages and illustrations on onboard devices (the target marker*2 and re-entry capsule*3) of the Hayabusa2.
Through this campaign and Hayabusa2’s six-year space mission, we would like people to deepen their understanding of Japan’s space probe activities.
The following is the campaign outline.

1. Campaign name
   Let’s meet with Le Petit Prince! Million Campaign 2
   
   
2. Campaign period
   From 12:00 p.m. on April 10 (Wed.), 2013 thru July 16 (Tue.) (Japan Standard Time)
   
   
3. Campaign items
   Names, messages, collection of messages, and illustrations recorded and loaded onto the onboard devices of the Hayabusa2 (Target marker*2 and Re-entry capsule*3)
   
   
4. How to apply
   Please refer to the following JAXA website.
   http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/e/hottopics/20130329.html

*1 The asteroid explorer “Hayabusa2” is a successor to the asteroid explorer “Hayabusa,” which returned to Earth in June 2012. The Hayabusa2 will challenge a sample return mission by bringing sand from an asteroid to elucidate the origin and evolution of the solar system and raw materials of life while leveraging technology and experience acquired through the Hayabusa.
For the Hayabusa2 project outline and mission overview, please refer to the following site.
http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/hayabusa2/index_e.html

Hayabusa2 illustration?ⓒ Akihiro Ikea

*2 The target marker is a marking device for when the Hayabusa2 lands on the asteroid. The marker will be dispatched from the Hayabusa2 to the asteroid to stay there after arriving on the surface.

*3 The re-entry capsule will be detached from the Hayabusa2 main body to return to Earth while protecting sample sands from the asteroid from high heat at the time of re-entry to Earth's atmosphere. The capsule plays the last important role for the Hayabusa2 mission by carrying sand back from the asteroid.​

 

[Pipcard]

Just like what happened with Akatsuki!

But the first Hayabusa returned to Earth in 2010, not 2012.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

I wish nothing but good luck for this one little falcon! Japan hasn't had a really good time in planetary exploration for the past decade, but the mere mentioning of The Little Spacecraft That Could still brings smiles around.

Plus if all goes well it will return samples from a C-type asteroid (the most kind of all) before the larger Osiris-REX of NASA does.

 

[orb]

Phys.org: Asteroid-blast space cannon on track, Japan scientists say:

Japanese scientists readying to blast a crater in an asteroid to find out what it is made of said Wednesday they have successfully tested their new space cannon.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the huge weapon would fire a metal bullet at the surface of asteroid 1999JU3 some time in 2018.

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SPACE.com: Japan Test-Fires 'Space Cannon' to Shoot Asteroid

Universe Today: Japanese ‘Space Cannon’ On Track For Aiming At An Asteroid: Reports

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Huh. Sounds like they're using an explosively forged projectile.

 

[ISProgram]

Sorry in advance for necroposting, but I just discovered that Hayabusa 2 has finished assembly. :thumbup:

So does anyone think it'll still be able to take a H-IIA rocket to orbit by November? (The image source, by the way, doesn't actually say it has finished assembly)

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Sorry in advance for necroposting, but I just discovered that Hayabusa 2 has finished assembly. :thumbup:

So does anyone think it'll still be able to take a H-IIA rocket to orbit by November? (The image source, by the way, doesn't actually say it has finished assembly)

If memory serves, if you're bringing something useful to the thread, it's not a bad necropost, merely a much-needed update.

RE: November? Maybe. I don't know how long it would take to do the usual "shake and bake" routine.

 

[ISProgram]

RE: November? Maybe. I don't know how long it would take to do the usual "shake and bake" routine.

Last I heard, a launch window would be open from November-December 2014. While I WAS keeping tabs on the mission, I forgot all about it until now.

Heck, earlier today, I didn't even know it was going to launch on H-IIA, or that there was a Orbiter thread for it.

---------- Post added at 11:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 PM ----------

Planetary Society: Hayabusa 2 complete, ready to begin its journey to asteroid 1999 JU3"

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Launch date of this little bird has been confirmed! It's November 30 at 04:24:48 UTC.

 

[Unstung]

Don't forget that the launch is now in just under a month!

Below are some views of the spacecraft in the clean room.

 

[Pipcard]

Japan can have a song about a space probe?

Hatsune Miku "HAYABUSA" English subtitles

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Liftoff in less than 4 days time! :yes:

Goodies pack coming soon!

 

[BrianJ]

There are a number of secondary payloads launching along with Hayabusa2 - this one caught my eye - DESPATCH(ARTSAT2)

30kg, 50cm diameter

Good luck JAXA!

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Thanks to weather in southern Japan, I have at least one more day to prepare for this - liftoff now planned at 04:22:43 UTC on December 1st.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Thanks to weather in southern Japan, I have at least one more day to prepare for this - liftoff now planned at 04:22:43 UTC on December 1st.

And ground winds is keeping Hayabusa 2 on the ground for another 2 days - liftoff now planned at 04:22:04 UTC on December 3rd. :shrug:

 

[Unstung]

And ground winds is keeping Hayabusa 2 on the ground for another 2 days - liftoff now planned at 04:22:04 UTC on December 3rd. :shrug:

How long will this launch window be open? It turns out that if Hayabusa 2 misses this launch window, there are backups next June and December. If some unfortunate events happen and the spacecraft cannot launch in 2015, the next opportunity will be a decade away.