Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hayabusa2 mission

Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hayabusa2 mission is a spacecraft mission launched by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency to explore the asteroid Ryugu, a near-Earth object and potentially hazardous asteroid. The mission is a follow-up to the Hayabusa mission, which returned asteroid samples from Itokawa in 2010, and is part of the JAXA's asteroid exploration program, which also includes the Hayabusa and MMX missions. The Hayabusa2 mission involves collaboration with the Australian Space Agency, NASA, and the European Space Agency, and has contributed to the advancement of asteroid science and planetary defense.

Introduction

The Hayabusa2 mission was launched on December 3, 2014, from the Tanegashima Space Center using the H-IIA launch vehicle, and is part of the JAXA's efforts to explore the solar system and understand the formation and evolution of the solar system. The mission has been supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and has involved the participation of University of Tokyo, Nagoya University, and other Japanese universities. The Hayabusa2 mission has also been compared to other asteroid missions, such as NASA's OSIRIS-REx and ESA's Gaia mission, and has contributed to the development of asteroid deflection strategies, such as the Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment.

Spacecraft Design and Instruments

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft was designed and built by JAXA and NEC and is equipped with a range of instruments, including the Telescopic Optical Navigation Camera (ONC-T), the Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) instrument, and the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3). The spacecraft also carries a small carry-on impactor (SCI) and a deployable camera (DCAM3) to study the asteroid's surface and composition, and has been compared to other spacecraft, such as NASA's Curiosity and ESA's Rosetta. The Hayabusa2 spacecraft has been supported by the European Astronaut Centre and has involved the participation of German Aerospace Center and other European space agencies.

Mission Objectives and Timeline

The primary objective of the Hayabusa2 mission is to return samples from the asteroid Ryugu to Earth for scientific analysis, and to study the asteroid's composition, shape, and size. The mission timeline includes a launch window in 2014, a cruise phase from 2014 to 2018, and a rendezvous phase with the asteroid from 2018 to 2019. The Hayabusa2 mission has been supported by the International Astronomical Union and has involved the participation of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other international space agencies. The mission has also been compared to other sample return missions, such as NASA's Stardust and ESA's Rosetta mission.

Launch and Journey to Ryugu

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft was launched on December 3, 2014, from the Tanegashima Space Center and followed a heliocentric orbit to reach the asteroid Ryugu in 2018. The spacecraft performed a series of gravity assists with Earth and asteroid 2000 DP107 to gain speed and change its trajectory, and has been supported by the Deep Space Network and other ground stations. The Hayabusa2 spacecraft has been compared to other interplanetary spacecraft, such as NASA's Voyager 1 and ESA's Venus Express.

Arrival and Operations at Ryugu

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft arrived at the asteroid Ryugu in June 2018 and began a series of orbital operations, including asteroid imaging and spectroscopy. The spacecraft also deployed a series of landers, including the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) and the Small Carry-on Impactor (SCI), to study the asteroid's surface and composition. The Hayabusa2 mission has been supported by the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research and has involved the participation of French space agency and other European space agencies.

Return Journey and Sample Recovery

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft departed the asteroid Ryugu in November 2019 and began its return journey to Earth. The spacecraft is expected to return to Earth in December 2020 and release a sample return capsule containing asteroid samples, which will be recovered by the Australian Space Agency and JAXA. The Hayabusa2 mission has been compared to other sample return missions, such as NASA's Genesis and ESA's Huygens mission, and has contributed to the advancement of asteroid science and planetary defense. The mission has also been supported by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and has involved the participation of Russian Federal Space Agency and other international space agencies. Category:Asteroid missions