The Japanese Space Agency’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft flew past Earth earlier today (December 3, 2015), sweeping only about 2,000 miles (3,000 km) above Hawaii, on its way to asteroid. By comparison, the moon’s distance is about a quarter million miles. JAXA reported that Hayabusa 2 flew closest to the Earth at 7:08 p.m. JST (10:08 GMT or 5:08 a.m. CST).
Hayabusa 2 is on its way to a Near-Earth Object – called 162173 Ryugu – which it expects to encounter in July 2018. The plan is that it will survey the asteroid for 18 months, depart in December 2019, and return to Earth with a sample in December 2020.
JAXA said in a December 3 statement:
The Hayabusa 2 project team is currently measuring and calculating the post-swing-by orbit. It will take about a week to confirm if the explorer entered the target orbit. We will report the result once it is determined.
JAXA reports that Hayabusa 2 is in good health.
Earth and moon seen on November 26, 2015 by Hayabusa 2, just days before its December 3, 2015 flyby of Earth. Image via JAXA
Bottom line: Hayabusa 2 swept 2,000 miles (3,000 km) above Earth’s surface – over Hawaii – on December 3, 2015.
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1XCet5z
The Japanese Space Agency’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft flew past Earth earlier today (December 3, 2015), sweeping only about 2,000 miles (3,000 km) above Hawaii, on its way to asteroid. By comparison, the moon’s distance is about a quarter million miles. JAXA reported that Hayabusa 2 flew closest to the Earth at 7:08 p.m. JST (10:08 GMT or 5:08 a.m. CST).
Hayabusa 2 is on its way to a Near-Earth Object – called 162173 Ryugu – which it expects to encounter in July 2018. The plan is that it will survey the asteroid for 18 months, depart in December 2019, and return to Earth with a sample in December 2020.
JAXA said in a December 3 statement:
The Hayabusa 2 project team is currently measuring and calculating the post-swing-by orbit. It will take about a week to confirm if the explorer entered the target orbit. We will report the result once it is determined.
JAXA reports that Hayabusa 2 is in good health.
Earth and moon seen on November 26, 2015 by Hayabusa 2, just days before its December 3, 2015 flyby of Earth. Image via JAXA
Bottom line: Hayabusa 2 swept 2,000 miles (3,000 km) above Earth’s surface – over Hawaii – on December 3, 2015.
from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1XCet5z
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