Mission: Hayabusa 2 Options

[katodomo]

our solar system's metal asteroids must have come from inter galactic space.

Those approximately 1900 yottagramm of iron beneath our feet would disagree with you there.

[Explorer1]

Good updated summary of the mission's early hours:
http://www.spaceflight101.com/hayabusa-2-m...on-updates.html

Also a reminder near the bottom that there's more than just Hayabusa 2 being launched: a separate probe for a few flybys of other asteroids, a student-built technology demonstration, and an art project are all launching together!
Is this the first time multiple craft are being launched on interplanetary missions from a single launcher? Or is there some other precedent our resident space historians recall?

[elakdawalla]

Well, JAXA's already done that with Akatsuki and IKAROS.

[pandaneko]

Those approximately 1900 yottagramm of iron beneath our feet would disagree with you there.

Thank you. Yes, I should not be going too far back in time
under this category here. It is the festive season affectimg me, I think.

However, I would like to believe that there are non recycled metals
still left over from the early formation of our solar system and
that metalic objects are out there somewhere, formed not just from mantle
stripping. P

[Paolo]

Is this the first time multiple craft are being launched on interplanetary missions from a single launcher? Or is there some other precedent our resident space historians recall?

I think the first time multiple spacecraft were injected in independent, solar orbits with a single launch (via Moon flybys) was STEREO-A and -B in 2006. Akatsuki, IKAROS and Shin-en followed in 2010.
Of course there are a lot of other instances where multiple spacecraft (typically lander+orbiter) separated at the target.

[Paolo]

by the way, launch is now postponed to December 3, 4:22:04 UTC
http://global.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/hayabusa2/index.html

[TheAnt]

However, I would like to believe that there are non recycled metals
still left over from the early formation of our solar system and
that metalic objects are out there somewhere, formed not just from mantle
stripping. P

Hello there pandaneko

Well our current thinking is that nearly all materials that makes up the planets, moons and asteroids originated in a supernova long ago and got very much processed in the early accretion disk and subsequent collisions between objects both large and small.
So most materials is thought to have been quite reprocessed in the early age of the solar system.
The Sun have contributed very little, like the helium on the surface of the Moon.

You might get your wish for metallic objects though, if you don't mind the size, meaning interstellar dust grains.

[Explorer1]

What are the plans for giving 1999 JU3 to eventually get a 'real' name, like Bennu did? Haven't heard anything about a contest yet..

Edit: good news, looks like the LIPOVITAN-D tradition is alive and well:

https://twitter.com/ots_min/status/53966746...5866624/photo/1

[pandaneko]

very much processed in the early accretion disk and subsequent collisions between objects both large and small.
You might get your wish for metallic objects though, if you don't mind the size, meaning interstellar dust grains.

Thank you. This is really sinking into me, particularly "early processing" bit. I wonder then if new arrivals are either
too energetic to be caught by our solar system, or our solar system is now too transparent (probably same thing?)
for them to accumulate here to form anything larger than grains? Thank you, anyway.

On a seperate matter, because I started my thinking about the teeth I now wish to go back there. One of the
advantages of being an amateur is wild imagination, I think, particularly in view of the festive season.

If evidence for water has been found then there must be water on that asteroid. On the other hand it is difficult
to imagine that there are ponds of 20m, 30m across on a small 900m asteroid. My guess is that the asteroid
is covered by frost (not smooth ice), all over. No loose pebbles or anything of that kind.

I want to see the pictures!!! P

[nprev]

Launch coverage now live via spaceflightnow.com. Per my wife's translation, weather conditions are good, no equipment issues. T minus 8 min.

[Ron Hobbs]

Go Hayabusa 2!!

[nprev]

First stage cutoff & separation, second stage ignition. Looking good thus far.

[djellison]

DSN Now should have AOS later.... 4 antennas are ready and waiting for it

http://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html

[nprev]

Doug, if I'm reading Eyes right, is DSS 24 currently in listen mode for AOS?

EDIT: Correction: It looks like DSS 15 is receiving downlink!

[djellison]

24, 25, 45 and 34 are all waiting for Hayabusa 2

From what I can see in the extended details - they're all ready to listen at 8.426 Ghz (X-Band) with I think 16kbps downlink and and 34 & 45 ready to uplink at 15.6 bps.

(15 is currently getting data from GeoTail, 43 Rosetta and 35 MRO and Mars Odyssey - updates are every 5 seconds)