Hayabusa 2: preparation for the start of a new asteroid expedition Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency JAXA announced the completion of the assembly of the return of the spacecraft Hayabusa-2, which is to deliver samples of soil asteroid to Earth. Launch is scheduled for late 2014. This is not the first attempt of Japanese researchers in the implementation of the expedition with the task of delivering samples of the asteroid material for its immediate consideration. The first mission of this kind with the flight apparatus Hayabusa-1 to the asteroid Itokawa terrestrial held in 2003. Expedition, the purpose of which was the study of a small asteroid with the subsequent delivery of the samples of the asteroid material to Earth, expected to be completed in 2007. However, due to some technical problems on board the spacecraft capsule with samples of asteroid dust managed to return only in mid-2010. The aim of the new asteroid expedition Hayabusa-2 became the asteroid (162173) 1999 JU3 - NEO nearly spherical shape asteroid Apollo Group, which was opened in 1999 and does not yet have its own name. It is rich in carbon small celestial body that belongs to the dark spectral class C, by assumption, scientists can hold in their stony rocks of both water and pristine organic matter relating to the initial period of occurrence of the solar system, which is of great interest for research. Direct study of the asteroid material, according to planetary scientists, could shed light on the evolution of the early stages of our solar system more than 4.5 billion years ago. The diameter of the target asteroid is about 0.92 km, which is almost twice the size of the asteroid Itokawa. Asteroid moves in elliptical orbit with an average speed of about 27 km / s, intersecting the orbit of the Earth and Mars. Its period of revolution around the Sun - about 474 days, the period of rotation of its own - 7, 63 hours. Angle of inclination of its orbit to the ecliptic plane - more than 5.88 deg. Orbital characteristics of the asteroid target dates are not opportunities in the choice of the so-called windows start. Experts estimate that the most profitable (in terms of minimizing the energy cost of complying with flight) window start device Hayabusa-2 falls between the end of 2014. If during this period due to any technical or other reason unable to perform the planned launch of the spacecraft to the asteroid, the other an opportunity to present only start in 2024. According to the developers of the project design of the spacecraft Hayabusa-2 is very similar to the design of its predecessor, Hayabusa-1. However, there are differences. So the new machine is equipped with a special device - a kind of gun, which will help in getting samples of the asteroid soil, not only from the surface, but also the deeper layers of the celestial body. When you approach the machine to an asteroid in 1999 JU3 on board the spacecraft from a distance of 100 meters in the asteroid will be released at a rate of 2 km / s metal shell-impactor, which will produce a small explosion on the surface of a celestial body. It is believed the project developers, in the resulting artificial crater several meters in diameter and a depth of one meter, it is expected to find valuable soil samples of the asteroid. Collected through drawer rock samples surface and near-surface soil layers of the asteroid will be placed in a special container, and subsequently delivered to Earth. According to calculations of the developers of this asteroid mission, if all goes according to plan, the meeting Hayabusa-2 with a rich carbon compounds asteroid-purpose JU3 1999 will take place in mid-2018. Return the same apparatus on Earth, after a stay of the spacecraft in the vicinity of the small celestial body, is scheduled for late 2019 or 2020.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 12:41:05 +0000
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