Junichiro Kawaguchi

The Rubble-Pile Asteroid Itokawa as Observed by Hayabusa

During the interval from September through early December 2005, the Hayabusa spacecraft was in close proximity to near-Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa, and a variety of data were taken on its shape, mass, and surface topography as well as its mineralogic and elemental abundances. The asteroids orthogonal axes are 535, 294, and 209 meters, the mass is 3.51 × 1010 kilograms, and the estimated bulk density is 1.9 ± 0.13 grams per cubic centimeter. The correspondence between the smooth areas on the surface (Muses Sea and Sagamihara) and the gravitationally low regions suggests mass movement and an effective resurfacing process by impact jolting. Itokawa is considered to be a rubble-pile body because of its low bulk density, high porosity, boulder-rich appearance, and shape. The existence of very large boulders and pillars suggests an early collisional breakup of a preexisting parent asteroid followed by a re-agglomeration into a rubble-pile object.

Itokawa Dust Particles: A Direct Link Between S-Type Asteroids and Ordinary Chondrites

Laboratory analysis of samples returned from an asteroid establishes a direct link between asteroids and meteorites and provides clues to the complex history of the asteroid and its surface. The Hayabusa spacecraft successfully recovered dust particles from the surface of near-Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa. Synchrotron-radiation x-ray diffraction and transmission and scanning electron microscope analyses indicate that the mineralogy and mineral chemistry of the Itokawa dust particles are identical to those of thermally metamorphosed LL chondrites, consistent with spectroscopic observations made from Earth and by the Hayabusa spacecraft. Our results directly demonstrate that ordinary chondrites, the most abundant meteorites found on Earth, come from S-type asteroids. Mineral chemistry indicates that the majority of regolith surface particles suffered long-term thermal annealing and subsequent impact shock, suggesting that Itokawa is an asteroid made of reassembled pieces of the interior portions of a once larger asteroid.

Three-Dimensional Structure of Hayabusa Samples: Origin and Evolution of Itokawa Regolith

Laboratory analysis of samples returned from an asteroid establishes a direct link between asteroids and meteorites and provides clues to the complex history of the asteroid and its surface. Regolith particles on the asteroid Itokawa were recovered by the Hayabusa mission. Their three-dimensional (3D) structure and other properties, revealed by x-ray microtomography, provide information on regolith formation. Modal abundances of minerals, bulk density (3.4 grams per cubic centimeter), and the 3D textures indicate that the particles represent a mixture of equilibrated and less-equilibrated LL chondrite materials. Evidence for melting was not seen on any of the particles. Some particles have rounded edges. Overall, the particles’ size and shape are different from those seen in particles from the lunar regolith. These features suggest that meteoroid impacts on the asteroid surface primarily form much of the regolith particle, and that seismic-induced grain motion in the smooth terrain abrades them over time.

Oxygen Isotopic Compositions of Asteroidal Materials Returned from Itokawa by the Hayabusa Mission

Laboratory analysis of samples returned from an asteroid establishes a direct link between asteroids and meteorites and provides clues to the complex history of the asteroid and its surface. Meteorite studies suggest that each solar system object has a unique oxygen isotopic composition. Chondrites, the most primitive of meteorites, have been believed to be derived from asteroids, but oxygen isotopic compositions of asteroids themselves have not been established. We measured, using secondary ion mass spectrometry, oxygen isotopic compositions of rock particles from asteroid 25143 Itokawa returned by the Hayabusa spacecraft. Compositions of the particles are depleted in 16O relative to terrestrial materials and indicate that Itokawa, an S-type asteroid, is one of the sources of the LL or L group of equilibrated ordinary chondrites. This is a direct oxygen-isotope link between chondrites and their parent asteroid.

Pole and Global Shape of 25143 Itokawa

The locations of the pole and rotation axis of asteroid 25143 Itokawa were derived from Asteroid Multiband Imaging Camera data on the Hayabusa spacecraft. The retrograde pole orientation had a right ascension of 90.53° and a declination of –66.30° (52000 equinox) or equivalently 128.5° and –89.66° in ecliptic coordinates with a 3.9° margin of error. The surface area is 0.393 square kilometers, the volume is 0.018378 cubic kilometers with a 5% margin of error, and the three axis lengths are 535 meters by 294 meters by 209 meters. The global Itokawa revealed a boomerang-shaped appearance composed of two distinct parts with partly faceted regions and a constricted ring structure.

Irradiation History of Itokawa Regolith Material Deduced from Noble Gases in the Hayabusa Samples

Laboratory analysis of samples returned from an asteroid establishes a direct link between asteroids and meteorites and provides clues to the complex history of the asteroid and its surface. Noble gas isotopes were measured in three rocky grains from asteroid Itokawa to elucidate a history of irradiation from cosmic rays and solar wind on its surface. Large amounts of solar helium (He), neon (Ne), and argon (Ar) trapped in various depths in the grains were observed, which can be explained by multiple implantations of solar wind particles into the grains, combined with preferential He loss caused by frictional wear of space-weathered rims on the grains. Short residence time of less than 8 million years was implied for the grains by an estimate on cosmic-ray–produced 21Ne. Our results suggest that Itokawa is continuously losing its surface materials into space at a rate of tens of centimeters per million years. The lifetime of Itokawa should be much shorter than the age of our solar system.

Powered flight of electron cyclotron resonance ion engines on Hayabusa explorer

The electron cyclotron resonance ion engine has long life and high reliability because of electrodeless plasma generation in both the ion generator and the neutralizer. Four μ10s, each generating a thrust of 8 mN, specific impulse of 3200 s, and consuming 350 W of electric power, propelled the Hayabusa asteroid explorer launched on May 2003. After vacuum exposure and several baking runs to reduce residual gas, the ion engine system established continuous acceleration. Electric propelled delta-V Earth gravity assist, a new orbit change scheme that uses electric propulsion with a high specific impulse was applied to change from a terrestrial orbit to an asteroid-based orbit. In 2005, Hayabusa, using solar electric propulsion, managed to successfully cover the solar distance between 0.86 and 1.7 AU. It rendezvoused with, landed on, and lifted off from the asteroid Itokawa. During the 2-year flight, the ion engine system generated a delta-V of 1400 m/s while consuming 22 kg of xenon propellant and operating for 25,800 h.

An autonomous navigation and guidance system for MUSES-C asteroid landing

Abstract ISAS plans to launch an asteroid sample and return spacecraft MUSES-C in 2002 and the spacecraft arrives at near earth asteroid 1989ML in 2003. To approach, rendezvous with, and land on the asteroid safely, the spacecraft has an autonomous navigation, guidance, and control system. That is, it has some functions of station keeping at the distance of about 20 km , landing guidance using optical camera and laser altimeter, hovering at about 20 m above the surface to synchronize the rotation of the asteroid and adjust touchdown attitude, and final descent control including obstacle detection and touch down sensing for reliable and safe collection of asteroid samples. In this paper, at first, the navigation, guidance, and control system onboard MUSES-C is presented, and then, rendezvous and landing scenario are described. Performance and robustness of the system are verified by numerical simulations, GRAphical computer Simulator (GRAS), and hardware simulator called TRAnslational Motion simulator (TRAM). A example of numerical simulation results and brief description of GRAS and TRAM are also shown.

The Actual Dynamical Environment About Itokawa

The dynamical environment about and on Asteroid 25143 Itokawa is studied using the shape and rotation state model estimated during the close proximity phase of the Hayabusa mission to that asteroid. We first discuss the general gravitational properties of the shape model assuming a constant density. Next we discuss the actual dynamical environment about this body, both on the surface and in orbit, and consider the orbital dynamics of a Hayabusa-like spacecraft. Then we detail one of the approaches used to estimate the mass of the body, using optical and lidar imaging, during the close proximity phase.

The MUSES-C mission for the sample and return-its technology development status and readiness

Abstract The MUSES-C mission is a technology demonstration project, which at the same time aims at sample and return from extra-terrestrial object, an asteroid to the Earth. It is scheduled to be launched in 2002 and the flight model hardware is being fabricated currently. This paper presents the latest hardware readiness of the spacecraft which has completed both the mechanical environment and thermal vacuum tests. This paper also describes the mission requirement and scenario showing the pictures of some components.