Mission: Hayabusa 2 Options

[spdf]

JAXA wants to continue with Hayabusa 2. However there is/was a huge fight about the budget. Main problem was the budget for the launch vehicle. 2 months ago or so there was a report which said, that JAXA had to find another launch vehicle or the project gets cancelled. Now the Italian space agency played saviour and overed the VEGA. So finally we might see another Hayabusa in 2011.


It was mentioned here:
http://www.jspec.jaxa.jp/080110Final_IPEWG-ProgramBook.pdf

[Marcin600]

New interesting results from the analysis of Ryugu samples (November 15, 2023):
„A newly revised estimation of bulk densities and examination of the shape of individual Ryugu grains” (open access)
https://earth-planets-space.springeropen.co...623-023-01904-6
https://curation.isas.jaxa.jp/en/topics/23-11-15.html

Some conclusions:
1. The average bulk density of 637 Ryugu grains, corresponding to 38 wt.% of the total returned samples (724 grains), is 1.79 ± 0.31 g/cm3.
2. The obtained bulk density is consistent with the density of a CI (Orgueil) chondrite: the average bulk density of Ryugu grains in the range of 1.57‒1.91 g/cm3 reported for Orgueil CI chondrites appears to support that Ryugu samples are similar to CI chondrites.
3. Microporosity of the examined Ryugu grains was roughly estimated to be 26‒31%, which is slightly higher than the latest data for the Orgueil CI chondrite and is close to the lowest value for the average Ryugu boulders.
4. 3D shape of Ryugu grains: the axial ratios (...) of Ryugu grains showed similar distribution to flying particles ejected from the Ryugu surface during sampling operations. Millimeter- to centimeter-sized Ryugu grains and pebbles may have a nearly uniform shape despite the returned sample show some shape deviation due to the mechanical scrape in the container.

The article also contains information on the "white grains" "decorating" these black stones: the white//transparent material, frequently found in Ryugu samples, was found to be complex carbonate-rich structures of crystals (minerals): dolomites (Ca-Mg carbonate) and breunnerites (Fe-bearing magnesite - Mg-Fe carbonate).


My own CI Orgueil meteorite fragment (0.007 g) - an "analogue" of Ryugu samples:

Attached thumbnail(s)