Author Topic: Hayabusa return trip to Earth - through to June 13 - LIVE  (Read 112027 times)

Offline anik

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Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
April 4, 2007
http://www.jaxa.jp/topics/2007/04_e.html

"The asteroid explorer "Hayabusa" which landed on the asteroid "Itokawa" last November, delivered its probe container for acquired samples to the re-entry capsule, stored it in the capsule, then tightly shut the lid (with latches and seals.)
Since February, JAXA tried a new attitude control method to operate the ion engine, and engine running trials in phases have been underway since late March.
It is scheduled to start fully fledged engine operations in mid April to return to Earth.
The operation of the Hayabusa is still undergoing difficulties, but JAXA will do its utmost to make the explorer return home in June 2010"
« Last Edit: 06/13/2010 03:51 pm by Chris Bergin »

Offline Crispy

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #1 on: 04/04/2007 03:57 pm »
News about that plucky little spacecraft always makes me smile :)
Go Hayabusa, go!

Offline meiza

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #2 on: 04/04/2007 11:34 pm »
I wish at least some samples would be gotten to earth!

Offline wannamoonbase

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #3 on: 04/04/2007 11:52 pm »
Good Luck JAXA and Hayabusa.  Hopefully they are successful.
Wildly optimistic prediction, Superheavy recovery on IFT-4 or IFT-5

Offline hektor

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #4 on: 05/31/2007 12:51 pm »
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2007/04/20070425_hayabusa_e.html

... we would like to announce that on 2:30 p.m. on April 25 (Japan Standard Time) the Hayabusa was shifted to the fully fledged phase for the return cruise to Earth...

Offline yoichi

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #5 on: 02/04/2009 02:27 pm »
http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/muses_c/index_e.html

HAYABUSA: Firing ion engine and starting second phase orbit maneuver to return to Earth

JAXA reignited the ion engine of the Asteroid Explore "HAYABUSA" for a powered flight at 11:35 a.m. on February 4, 2009 (JST.) The HAYABUSA arrived at the asteroid "ITOKAWA" in 2005 and is now scheduled to return to the Earth in June 2010.We will continue to gradually accelerate the HAYABUSA by the ion engine until around March 2010 to carry out the second phase orbit maneuvering for returning it to the Earth.

Online jacqmans

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #6 on: 02/05/2009 08:45 am »
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                       ***  JAXA MAIL SERVICE  ***
                   Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
----------------------------------------------------------------------
            Current Status of the Asteroid Explorer HAYABUSA
     - Firing ion engine and starting second phase orbit maneuver
                         to return to Earth -

                                                February 4, 2009 (JST)
                             Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency is doing its best to operate
the Asteroid Explore "HAYAUBSA" to return it to Earth in June 2010.
After leaving the orbit around the asteroid "ITOKAWA," the ion engine
of the HAYABUSA was cut off on Oct. 18, 2007 (Japan Standard Time, JST)
to complete the first phase orbit maneuvering for returning to the
Earth. Since then, the HAYABUSA has been in a coast flight, but today
we reignited the ion engine for a powered flight at 11:35 a.m. (JST)
after activating its reaction wheel and establishing the three axis
attitude control. We will continue to gradually accelerate the
HAYABUSA until around March 2010 to carry out the second phase orbit
maneuvering for returning it to the Earth.
From April to June 2010, we will guide the HAYABUSA, which will have
reached much closer to the Earth by then, to further come near to the
earth's orbit with higher accuracy, and plan to carry out the re-entry
of its capsule into the atmosphere in June 2010.
The total accumulated operation time of the ion engine reached 31,000
hours, and the total engine generation for orbit maneuver(*1) was
1,700 meters per second (m/s) to date. The HAYABUSA still has enough
thrust power and propellant. Some 400 m/s more of engine generation
for orbit maneuvering is necessary for returning to the Earth.
We are continuing to pay careful attention to our onboard equipment
and are doing our utmost to operate the HAYABUSA with the greatest
care.
 
(*1) engine generation for orbit maneuver: volume of acceleration by
an ion engine


This page URL:
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/02/20090204_hayabusa_e.html
Jacques :-)

Offline Norm Hartnett

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #7 on: 02/05/2009 04:24 pm »
"Wake up..."

"Wake up..."

"Time to return home."

http://spaceinfo.jaxa.jp/inori/en/index.html

Congratulations JAXA!

;)
“You can’t take a traditional approach and expect anything but the traditional results, which has been broken budgets and not fielding any flight hardware.” Mike Gold - Apollo, STS, CxP; those that don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it: SLS.

Offline hop

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #8 on: 02/08/2009 03:30 am »
This blog post http://5thstar.air-nifty.com/blog/2009/02/hayabusas-retur.html (via Emily Lakdawalla http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001834/) has more details of how they re-established 3 axis control... with light pressure.

Truly one of the epic journeys of robotic exploration.

Offline Crispy

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #9 on: 02/10/2009 11:02 am »
That's amazing :)

Offline ugordan

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #10 on: 02/10/2009 11:07 am »
Looks like their chances of successfully returning the capsule are increasing each day. A remarkable feat by JAXAs engineers. It's sad to think the sample container is probably empty by what I've read so far - getting an actual sample back to Earth would be a crowning of these recovery efforts.

Offline iamlucky13

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #11 on: 02/23/2009 05:16 am »
I was just browsing the planetary blog and was stunned after I read that entry. Great job JAXA!

Online jacqmans

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #12 on: 03/06/2009 07:26 am »
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                       ***  JAXA MAIL SERVICE  ***
                   Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
----------------------------------------------------------------------
             Official Approval of Names on ITOKAWA by IAU

                                                   March 3, 2009 (JST)
                             Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) requested the
International Astronomical Union (IAU) approve 14 names of craters and
places on the surface of the asteroid "ITOKAWA," where our Asteroid
Explorer "HAYABUSA" carried out scientific observations. The
application was submitted under the theme of "place names concerning
space development and asteroid science."
On February 29, 2009 (Japan Standard Time,) the names were approved by
the IAU, thus they can be used as official names. We thoroughly
discussed the names with the IAU’s Working Group for Planetary System
Nomenclature, and all our proposed names were accepted. This was the
first time that Japan requested the approval of such a large number of
names for the surface of an asteroid and all of them were accepted at
once.
It was also the first time that such a number of Japanese names were
christened on the surface of an asteroid.
The names were decided in corporation with the University of Aizu,
which studies the topology on the surface of the ITOKAWA based on
observation data.


Reference:
Names of astronomical bodies and names of places on astronomical bodies
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/03/20090303_itokawa_e.html#ref1

Table 1: Names on ITOKAWA and where they come from
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/03/20090303_itokawa_e.html#ref2

The HAYABUSA flying to the ITOKAWA (Artist's Concept)
Names of craters and places on ITOKAWA
(Images were taken by the HAYABUSA)
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/03/20090303_itokawa_e.html#ref3

Reference: Asteroid "ITOKAWA"
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/03/20090303_itokawa_e.html#ref4


This page URL:
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/03/20090303_itokawa_e.html
Jacques :-)

Offline JimO

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #13 on: 11/09/2009 04:09 pm »
Kyodo: Prospects Dim for Japanese Asteroid Probe's Return Home
Tokyo Kyodo World Service in English 1255 GMT 09 Nov 09
   Tokyo, Nov. 9 Kyodo -- Prospects of return to Earth have become dim for the Japanese asteroid explorer Hayabusa as all but one engine has stopped, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Monday.
   JAXA pins its remaining hopes on the possibility that the probe, which aims to return home in June 2010, may have collected some dust particles thrown up when the probe touched down on Itokawa in 2005.
   Hayabusa, launched by an M-5 rocket in 2003, succeeded in landing on Itokawa in 2005 but is believed to have failed in its attempt to take samples from the asteroid.
   Of Hayabuasa's four ion engines, only one is currently operational as the third engine was found on Wedsday to have stopped following the two previously stopped, according to JAXA.
   Hayabusa is currently flying in space some 160 million kilometers from Earth.

Offline amstramgram

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #14 on: 11/10/2009 06:35 am »
A press release (in japanese) http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/11/20091109_hayabusa_j.html by JAXA on the same day is a little bit more specific:
There are 4 ion thrusters on Hayabusa:
- Thruster A was stopped at an early stage of the mission due to malfunction.
- Thruster B was stopped in 2007 due to an elevation of the voltage resulting from a deterioration of the neutralization system.
- Thruster C, showing the same voltage elevation phenomenon, is presently stopped, but able to start.
- Thruster D, also showing the same anomaly, was the object of an automatic shut-down on Nov. 4, as reported in the press release.

Online jacqmans

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #15 on: 11/11/2009 08:27 am »
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                       ***  JAXA MAIL SERVICE  ***
                   Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
----------------------------------------------------------------------
             Asteroid Explorer "HAYABUSA" Ion Engine Anomaly

                                                November 9, 2009 (JST)
                             Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

On November 4th (Wed., Japan Standard Time), the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency identified that one of the main ion engines
(Thruster D) aboard the Asteroid Explorer "HAYABUSA" had autonomously
stopped detecting a high neutralizer voltage owing to degradation. The
HAYABUSA was during the second propulsion period in its return cruise
back to the Earth in June 2010. Since the anomaly was identified, the
project team has been trying to restart the engine while investigation
of the causes; however, the engine has not been restarted yet as of
today.

JAXA is currently under diagnostic investigation of the ion engines
system aboard the HAYABUSA and trying to build an alternative
sequence that helps the HAYABUSA return back to the Earth safely. JAXA
will inform you of the update as soon as available.

(Note) The HAYABUSA is equipped with four ion engines (Thrusters A
through D,) and each thruster is in the following status. In the
current plan, two thrusters, Thrusters C and D, would be used in the
second propulsion period in return cruise back to the Earth.

Thruster A: operation suspended due to instability just after the
            launch
Thruster B: operation suspended due to high neutralizer voltage owing
            to degradation (since April 2007)
Thrusters C and D: Both of them have indicated slight high
            neutralizer voltage owing also to degradation. Thruster C
            is currently not driven, but it is operable.


This page URL:
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/11/20091109_hayabusa_e.html
Jacques :-)

Offline Nick L.

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #16 on: 11/11/2009 02:06 pm »
Man, this poor thing just can't catch a break...  :( Although, this spacecraft has overcome many obstacles over its life, so who knows. Hoping for the best.
« Last Edit: 11/11/2009 02:11 pm by Nick L. »
"Now you may leave here for four days in space, but when you return it's the same old place..."

Offline MKremer

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #17 on: 11/11/2009 07:36 pm »
Man, this poor thing just can't catch a break...  :( Although, this spacecraft has overcome many obstacles over its life, so who knows. Hoping for the best.

If nothing else, the lessons learned from all the problems they've had during this mission have taught the Japanese engineers and flight controllers/management a great deal. A whole lot more, I would think, than if everything went smoothly according to plan.
« Last Edit: 11/11/2009 07:38 pm by MKremer »

Offline yoichi

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #18 on: 11/19/2009 08:23 am »
November 19, 2009 Updated
HAYABUSA: Resumption of return cruise by combining two ion engines

On November 4, JAXA found that one of the main ion engines aboard the Asteroid Explorer "HAYABUSA" had autonomously stopped during the second propulsion period in its return cruise back to the Earth. As a result of studying the measures to cope with this situation, JAXA confirmed that we can gain thrust power that is equivalent to that of one engine by combining the neutralizer of the Thruster A and the ion source of the Thruster B.
We believe that the HAYABUSA will be able to maintain its current return schedule to the earth around June 2010 as long as we can sustain the current conditions and sequence of operation. We will attentively monitor its return trip.

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/11/20091119_hayabusa_e.html
Restoration of Asteroid Explorer, HAYABUSA's Return Cruise

Offline the_roche_lobe

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Re: Hayabusa to start return trip to Earth in mid April
« Reply #19 on: 11/19/2009 08:40 am »
Amazing news! This sure is the little spacecraft that could...will it, wont it, will it....

If it doesn't make it back no-one will criticize it (and JAXA) for not fighting the good fight!

P

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