We present oxygen isotopic analyses of fragments of the near-Earth Cb-type asteroid Ryugu returned by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft that reinforce the close correspondence between Ryugu and CI chondrites. ...Small differences between Ryugu samples and CI chondrites in ∆'17O can be explained at least in part by contamination of the latter by terrestrial water. The discovery that a randomly sampled C-complex asteroid is composed of CI-chondrite-like rock, combined with thermal models for formation prior to significant decay of the short-lived radioisotope 26Al, suggests that if lithified at the time of alteration, the parent body was small (<<50 km radius). If the parent planetesimal was large (>50 km in radius), it was likely composed of high-permeability, poorly lithified sediment rather than consolidated rock.
Hayabusa2 is the ongoing JAXA’s sample and return mission to the asteroid Ryugu. In late 2018, Ryugu was in superior solar conjunction with the Earth. It is the first time that a spacecraft ...experiences the blackouts in the communication link with the Earth while hovering around a small celestial body. In this article, the design of the nominal conjunction trajectory flown by the Hayabusa2’s spacecraft is presented. The requirements for the conjunction trajectory were (1) to guarantee a low fuel consumption, (2) to ensure the visibility of the asteroid by the spacecraft’s wide angle camera (
60
∘
FoV), and (3) to increase the spacecraft altitude to a safety location (
∼
109
km
) from the nominal BOX-A operation of 20 km (Home Position - HP). Finally, (4) to return at BOX-A after the conjunction phase. Given the mission constraints, the designed conjunction trajectory appears to have a fish-shape in the Hill coordinates therefore we renamed it as “ayu” (sweetfish in Japanese) trajectory. The optNEAR tool was developed for the guidance (
Δ
V
s
planning) and navigation design of the Hayabusa2’s conjunction mission phase. A preliminary sensitivity analysis in the Hill reference frame proved that the ayu trajectory is a good candidate for the conjunction operation of hovering satellite. The solution in the Hill coordinates is refined in the full-body planetary dynamics (optNEAR Tool) before flight. The ayu conjunction trajectory requires (a) two deterministic
Δ
V
s
at the Conjunction Orbit Insertion (COI) point and at the Home-position Recovery Maneuver (HRM) point respectively. (b) Two stochastic
Δ
V
s
, known as Trajectory Correction Manoeuvres (TCMs), before and after the deep conjunction phase are also required. The constraint linear covariance analysis in the full-body dynamics is here derived and used for the preliminary guidance and navigation planning. The results of the covariance analysis were validated in a nonlinear sense with a Monte Carlo approach which proved the validity of the semi-analytic method for the stochastic
Δ
V
s
planning derived in this paper.
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft arrived at the near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu in 2018. We present Hayabusa2 observations of Ryugu's shape, mass, and geomorphology. Ryugu has an oblate ..."spinning top" shape, with a prominent circular equatorial ridge. Its bulk density, 1.19 ± 0.02 grams per cubic centimeter, indicates a high-porosity (>50%) interior. Large surface boulders suggest a rubble-pile structure. Surface slope analysis shows Ryugu's shape may have been produced from having once spun at twice the current rate. Coupled with the observed global material homogeneity, this suggests that Ryugu was reshaped by centrifugally induced deformation during a period of rapid rotation. From these remote-sensing investigations, we identified a suitable sample collection site on the equatorial ridge.
Carbonaceous meteorites are thought to be fragments of C-type (carbonaceous) asteroids. Samples of the C-type asteroid (162173) Ryugu were retrieved by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. We measured the ...mineralogy and bulk chemical and isotopic compositions of Ryugu samples. The samples are mainly composed of materials similar to those of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites, particularly the CI (Ivuna-type) group. The samples consist predominantly of minerals formed in aqueous fluid on a parent planetesimal. The primary minerals were altered by fluids at a temperature of 37° ± 10°C, about Formula: see text million (statistical) or Formula: see text million (systematic) years after the formation of the first solids in the Solar System. After aqueous alteration, the Ryugu samples were likely never heated above ~100°C. The samples have a chemical composition that more closely resembles that of the Sun's photosphere than other natural samples do.
Hayabusa2 is the ongoing JAXA’s sample and return mission to the asteroid Ryugu. In late 2018, Ryugu was in superior solar conjunction with the Earth. It is the first time that a spacecraft ...experiences the blackouts in the communication link with the Earth while hovering around a small celestial body. In this article, the design of the nominal conjunction trajectory flown by the Hayabusa2’s spacecraft is presented. The requirements for the conjunction trajectory were (1) to guarantee a low fuel consumption, (2) to ensure the visibility of the asteroid by the spacecraft’s wide angle camera (60∘ FoV), and (3) to increase the spacecraft altitude to a safety location (∼109km) from the nominal BOX-A operation of 20 km (Home Position - HP). Finally, (4) to return at BOX-A after the conjunction phase. Given the mission constraints, the designed conjunction trajectory appears to have a fish-shape in the Hill coordinates therefore we renamed it as “ayu” (sweetfish in Japanese) trajectory. The optNEAR tool was developed for the guidance (ΔVs planning) and navigation design of the Hayabusa2’s conjunction mission phase. A preliminary sensitivity analysis in the Hill reference frame proved that the ayu trajectory is a good candidate for the conjunction operation of hovering satellite. The solution in the Hill coordinates is refined in the full-body planetary dynamics (optNEAR Tool) before flight. The ayu conjunction trajectory requires (a) two deterministic ΔVs at the Conjunction Orbit Insertion (COI) point and at the Home-position Recovery Maneuver (HRM) point respectively. (b) Two stochastic ΔVs, known as Trajectory Correction Manoeuvres (TCMs), before and after the deep conjunction phase are also required. The constraint linear covariance analysis in the full-body dynamics is here derived and used for the preliminary guidance and navigation planning. The results of the covariance analysis were validated in a nonlinear sense with a Monte Carlo approach which proved the validity of the semi-analytic method for the stochastic ΔVs planning derived in this paper.
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft collected samples from the surface of the carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu, and brought them to Earth. The samples were expected to contain organic molecules, ...which record processes that occurred in the early Solar System. We analyzed organic molecules extracted from the Ryugu surface samples. We identify a variety of molecules containing the atoms CHNOS, formed by methylation, hydration, hydroxylation, and sulfurization reactions. Amino acids, aliphatic amines, carboxylic acids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and nitrogen-heterocyclic compounds were detected, with properties consistent with an abiotic origin. These compounds likely arose from aqueous reaction on Ryugu’s parent body and are similar to organics in Ivuna-type meteorites. These molecules can survive on the surfaces of asteroids and be transported throughout the Solar System.
The near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu is thought to have been produced from a parent body that contained water ice and organic molecules. The Hayabusa2 spacecraft has obtained global ...multicolor images of Ryugu. Geomorphological features present include a circum-equatorial ridge, east-west dichotomy, high boulder abundances across the entire surface, and impact craters. Age estimates from the craters indicate a resurfacing age of Formula: see text years for the top 1-meter layer. Ryugu is among the darkest known bodies in the Solar System. The high abundance and spectral properties of boulders are consistent with moderately dehydrated materials, analogous to thermally metamorphosed meteorites found on Earth. The general uniformity in color across Ryugu's surface supports partial dehydration due to internal heating of the asteroid's parent body.
Hayabusa2 arrived at the C-type asteroid Ryugu in June 2018. During one and a half year of the Ryugu-proximity operation, we succeeded in two rovers landing, one lander landing, two spacecraft ...touchdown/sample collection, one kinetic impact operation and two tiny reflective balls and one rover orbiting. Among the two successful touchdowns, the second one succeeded in collecting subsurface material exposed by the kinetic impact operation. This paper describes the asteroid proximity operation activity of the Hayabusa2 mission, and gives an overview of the achievements done so far. Some important engineering and scientific activities, which have been done in synchronous with the spacecraft operations to tackle with unexpected Ryugu environment, are also described.
•JAXA launched the world-second asteroid sample return mission Hayabusa2 in 2014.•Hayabusa2 completed 1.5 years of the asteroid proximity operation with full success.•Surface and subsurface landings, 1 crater forming, landers delivery were conducted.•Adoptive mission re-planning and spacecraft reconfigurations were key to the success.•Hayabusa2 is now on the way back to the Earth with the collected Ryugu sample.
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