The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) initiated an asteroid exploration mission, termed as Hayabusa 2. The objective of this mission is to study Asteroid 1999 JU3, better known as Ryugu. Following the initial successful launch in 2003 of the original Hayabusa mission that linked up with asteroid Itokawa, Hayabusa 2 was launched in December 2014, with a mission duration of six years.
About the Hayabusa 2 Mission
Hayabusa 2 arrived at the asteroid Ryugu in July 2018, its mission is to spend 18 months studying this space rock before returning to Earth in December 2020. This mission is designed to build on the foundational knowledge gained from the original Hayabusa project – which marked the first successful return of sample materials from an asteroid back to Earth in 2010.
Components Of The Hayabusa 2 Spacecraft
The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft is a highly specialized tool, engineered with precise instruments to achieve its mission goals. It features two remote sensing spectrometers, specifically dedicated to studying the energy balance of the asteroid and its surface composition.
It also comprises of four individual landers. The 10-Kilogram Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) lander, built collaboratively by France and Germany, is designed for the in-situ study of surface composition and properties. It shares space with three MINERVA landers that aim to deliver detailed imagery and temperature measurements. All these landers are planned to make multiple hops across the asteroid’s surface to capture measurements from different locations.
Perhaps one of the most exciting components is the impactor device. It is to be deployed towards the asteroid and uses high-explosives to generate an impact that will hopefully expose material from beneath the asteroid’s surface for later collection by Hayabusa 2.
The Importance of Asteroid Study
So, why study asteroids? Asteroids, akin to comets, are primitive bodies that are believed to have acted as the building blocks of the early solar system. They have potentially preserved a record of the birth and initial evolution of the solar system.
On Earth and other larger planets, pristine materials have undergone a complex evolution process, which resulted in melting and significant alteration. This transformation means the materials found on these large planets do not provide clues into their early stages of formation. However, comets and asteroids, being formed early in the evolution of the Solar System, could still retain a record of when, where, and under what conditions they were formed.
Therefore, the exploration of these primitive celestial bodies, like the work being done by the Hayabusa 2 mission, is essential in enhancing our understanding of the formation of the Solar System.
