Hayabusa, also known as MUSES-C, is a small probe launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in May 2003. Its goal was to reach the Itokawa asteroid, named after the late Dr. Hideo Itokawa, the father of Japan’s space development program. According to News24.com, from South Africa, Hayabusa is now less than 750 kilometers away from the 630-metre asteroid and it will stay around it for about three months. In November, Hayabusa will send a five-grams projectile into the surface at a speed of 1,800 kph. It will then collect some material kicked out of the asteroid, maybe 100 milligrams, before returning to Earth in June 2007. As asteroids are believed to have preserved some state of the early solar system, the analysis of these materials might give us interesting clues about the birth of our Solar system. Read more on ZDNet's Emerging Technology Trends.
Sources: News24.com, South Africa, September 6, 2005; and various web sites
You'll find related stories by following the links below.
And remember that comments are no longer accepted here because of a vandal. If you want to tell me something about this post, please go to the bottom right of this page and send me an e-mail.
8:27:23 PM
Permalink
|
|
