[X] My Assistant

[Ames]

Google translation says: "Figure 4: Are discharged the target marker and the I To matte"
Babelfish says: "Figure 4: Target marker and イトカワ which are discharged"

"I To Matte" - Minerva???

looks like both have been "discharged"

Nick

[RNeuhaus]

That document does not specify whether that the target marker has already landed on Itokawa or it has missed the aim by lossing it to the space. It is still unclear.

Rodolfo

[dilo]

Is the first image from the narrow angle camera, and the second is from the wide angle navigation camera?  That may explain the difference...

I suspect too they missed Itokawa (different camera focal or image cropping cannot explain the drift...)

Attached thumbnail(s)

 

[Ames]

"Furthermore, the target marker which is separated with test of these 9 days is not the signature entering. In addition, throwing the same marker, on the asteroid surface. (Figure 4)"

"is not the signature entering"

Does that mean that the bright point is just a background star and not the target marker?

I guess we will just have to be patient and wait for someone to translate it properly.

Nick

[tedstryk]

I suspect too they missed Itokawa  (different camera focal or image cropping cannot explain the drift...)

Depends...First, we don't know what order those pictures were taken in. Also, there is the possibility that Hayabusa took off after leaving it to gently float to the surface, so its angle is very different in the wider shot.

[Phil Stooke]

Also, how many targets does Hayabusa carry? There were to be up to three sampling attempts, now only two. There may be a spare which they dropped during this practice descent without affecting future plans.

Phil

[djellison]

These images are amazing

Not sure what's going on with that target marker though.

I LOVE Google Jap->Eng Beta..

" Red-light district length with respect to the right in the left figure 10m."

Doug

[The Messenger]

I LOVE Google Jap->Eng Beta..

" Red-light district length with respect to the right in the left figure 10m."

Doug

That would be either: "The total width of the image is 10 meters."

or

"There is a hooker with a great body, just down the street"

[tedstryk]

Also, how many targets does Hayabusa carry?  There were to be up to three sampling attempts, now only two.  There may be a spare which they dropped during this practice descent without affecting future plans.

Phil

It has two, I think. But it can potentially sample without one.

[jamescanvin]

"Furthermore, the target marker which is separated with test of these 9 days is not the signature entering. In addition, throwing the same marker, on the asteroid surface. (Figure 4)"

"is not the signature entering"

Does that mean that the bright point is just a background star and not the target marker?

I guess we will just have to be patient and wait for someone to translate it properly.

Nick

Maybe this means it is not the target marker with the aluminum name (signature ) sheet, although I thought that it was supposed to be on the first one released.

That shadow picture by the way astonishing!

James

[lyford]

That shadow pic is truly awesome - nice Heiligenschein too...

Though it appears that someone set us up the bomb with that translation.

[Phil Stooke]

I have been browsing through Japanese online news sites, mainly from the bigger english-language newspaper websites. I can't find any mention of Hayabusa. Nothing! Maybe that will change if Minerva gets to the surface... but nothing!! I mean... nothing. I can't believe it. At first I thought I understood - Japan has had few successes in planetary exploration, you could argue this is the first success (after Suisei, long ago), so they would not want to draw attention to what might be an embarassing failure. But Hayabusa has already gone far beyond that.

Do we have any Japanese members? Any comments about this situation?

Phil

[Harder]

I am fortunate to have a Japanese colleague at work and have asked him for a summary of the latest Japanese news which was referred to earlier. Here is his reply:

The rehearsal carried out on the 9th released the marker but not towards Itokawa. It was to test the release as well as the tracking mechanism, which was successfully confirmed. The finding from the approach (70m!) concluded that the second nominated landing site 'Uhmera' was too rocky for landing.

Another rehearsal will be carried out on the 12th, where Hayabusa will release the 'Minerva' at the first nominated landing site of 'Muses Sea'. On the 19th, the Hayabusa will make its first landing and the second on the 25th.

Anyway, you have now made me interested in this journey of Hayabusa!

Mizo

Unquote.

More to follow in the coming days I hope!
Peter

[RNeuhaus]

That means that the first marker was through away to space as shown the two previous pictures as an excersice. It is funny for me since I would practice it by dropping it on Itokawa instead to the space.

This action might mean that the Hayabusa team won't like to disturb the Itokawa with a excercise marker. That might lead confussion to the Hayabusa's radar if there is another in a close place.

Rodolfo

[jamescanvin]

I am fortunate to have a Japanese colleague at work and have asked him for a summary of the latest Japanese news which was referred to earlier. Here is his reply:

The rehearsal carried out on the 9th released the marker but not towards Itokawa.  It was to test the release as well as the tracking mechanism, which was successfully confirmed.  The finding from the approach (70m!) concluded that the second nominated landing site 'Uhmera' was too rocky for landing.

Another rehearsal will be carried out on the 12th, where Hayabusa will release the 'Minerva' at the first nominated landing site of 'Muses Sea'.  On the 19th, the Hayabusa will make its first landing and the second on the 25th.

Anyway, you have now made me interested in this journey of Hayabusa!

Mizo

Unquote.

More to follow in the coming days I hope! 
Peter

Thanks, good to have the article translated by a real person!

So the target marker was purposely not sent to land on Itokawa, just to test the release!

I guess as the landing site was deemed to rocky there was no need to, but still, I'm surprised to say the least!

And now were having three rehearsals as well!

What a suprising day!

James