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Credit & Copyright: JAXA,
U. Tokyo,
Kochi U.,
Rikkyo U.,
Nagoya U.,
Chiba Tech.,
Meiji U.,
U. Aizu,
AIST
Explanation:
Will spacecraft Hayabusa2 be able to land safely on asteroid Ryugu?
Since arriving in June, pictures show that the surface of kilometer-sized
Ryugu
is covered with boulders,
so that finding a flat enough area for the
bus-sized spacecraft
to touch down is
proving a challenge.
In the
featured video, the shadow of
Japan's
robotic Hayabusa2
can be seen on the rugged face of
Ryugu
while ascending last week from a touchdown rehearsal
only 20 meters over the surface.
Previously, small
frisbee-sized
landers detached from Hayabusa2, made contact with the diamond-shaped
asteroid's surface,
and started hopping around.
Studying Ryugu could
tell humanity
not only about the
minor planet's surface and interior,
but about what materials were available in the early
Solar System for the
development of life.
The touchdown of the Hayabusa2 mother ship is
slated for early next year, hopefully followed by a soil sample collection for
return to Earth.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: asteroid
Publications with words: asteroid
See also: