The Planetary Society of Japan : Column

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YM COLUMN ARCHIVE

March 19, 2008

The latest information on HAYABUSA

I think some of you may be concerned about what HAYABUSA is doing right now. HAYABUSA has been in the spin attitude stabilization since October last year going on the ballistic flight only under the control of solar gravity and passed through the third aphelion of 1.63AU from Sun on February 28, 2008.“Aphelion” is the furthest distant spot from Sun for a certain celestial object moving in an elliptical orbit influenced by solar gravity. On the other hand, the nearest to Sun is called “perihelion”.

The aphelion distance of last two times was 1.7AU, which means distance of the Sun was shorter this time; during all this while however, power generation is gradually decreasing. Because of this reason, careful attention has being paid so as not to lower the temperature in function of each part despite reduction of electricity consumption since January this year. For a short while from now, power generation is expected to be improved; meanwhile the distance from earth will be rapidly getting further and further reaching the furthest point of 2.5AU at the end of May. A future navigation scenario is that HAYABUSA will go along aphelion once again with powered cruising by re-started ion engine and coming back to earth in June 2010.

At any rate, HAYABUSA right now is solely relying upon solar radiation for its keeping delicate attitude. Under such circumstances, HAYABUSA team is still in high spirits in maneuvering the spacecraft, in corresponding to which I hope you will give your still further support to the mission team so that HAYABUSA will be able to return to the earth with welcome home cheers.

I welcome your opinions on this column to the following E-mail address.
matogawa@planetary.or.jp

(Translated by The Planetary Society of Japan)