14 DAY TRIAL // Hayabusa arrived at Itokawa on 10:00 am, 12 Sep (JST: Japanese Standard Time).
Now the Japanese probe hovers around 20 kilometers away from asteroid Itokawa.
The photo shows contrast of rocky and hilly region and smooth area, which may suggest the origin of this asteroid. This feature may be a key to consider Itokawa's origin and evolution. The scientific observation will be conducted for about two months including sampling and topographic measurement.
HAYABUSA's mission: to bring back samples from an asteroid and investigate the mysteries of the birth of the solar system.
HAYABUSA (MUSES-C) has been developed to investigate asteroids. Asteroids are celestial bodies that are smaller than planets but are part of the solar system. HAYABUSA was launched on May 9th, 2003, and has been flying steadily towards an asteroid named "Itokawa," after the late Dr. Hideo Itokawa, the father of Japan's space development program. It will orbit the asteroid, land on it, and bring back a sample from its surface.
The Japanese probe employs a new technology - the ion engine. This engine first ionizes the propellant gas, Xenon, then electrically accelerates and emits the ions, to propel itself forward.
Another innovation is the Autonomous Navigation System, which enables the probe to approach a far-away asteroid without human guidance. The system works by measuring the distance to the asteroid with the Optical Navigation Camera, and using Light Detection and Ranging.
HAYABUSA will not only gather samples but also observe the asteroid with various scientific devices and measures. For that purpose, it is equipped with a Telescope Wide-View Cameras and Light Detection and Ranging, as well as with a Near Infrared Spectrometer. It will also employ a hopping robot, which can move around on the asteroid's surface. When HAYABUSA returns to Earth, a re-entry capsule bearing a surface sample from the asteroid will separate from it and plunge into the Earth's atmosphere.
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