Accomplishment of HAYABUSA’s outward journey by ion engines

JAXA / ISAS ^ | August 29, 2005

[snowsislander]

The orbit maneuver of HAYABUSA spacecraft was handed over from the ion engines to the bi-propellant thrusters on August 28 JST.

After the solar conjunction the microwave discharge ion engines were turned on again at the end of July and accelerated with their full throttling so as to approach to the target.

At the end of August HAYABUSA stays 4,800km (3,000 mi.) apart from Asteroid ITOKAWA and is still closing it at 32km/h (20 mph) velocity with the ion engines off.

HAYABUSA asteroid explorer, launched on May 9 2003, has executed the orbit maneuver using the microwave discharge ion engines, which established 25,800 hours the total numbers of space operational time to generate 1,400m/s delta-V with 22kg (49 lb) xenon propellant.

One of four engines marked the accumulated operational time 10,400 hours.

The ion engines accomplished two-thirds of the orbit maneuver in the round-trip space mission.

Hereafter HAYABUSA will brake down and keep the gate position 20km (12 mi.) above Asteroid ITOKAWA by the bi-propellant thrusters.

[snowsislander]

HAYABUSA is now very close to ITOKAWA; the official distance was only 750 kilometers as of September 1st:

http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/enterp/missions/hayabusa/today.shtml

[neodad]

Ping

[6SJ7]

After the solar conjunction the microwave discharge ion engines were turned on again at the end of July and accelerated with their full throttling so as to approach to the target.

I can't believe it. He stole my move.

[KevinDavis]

[NormsRevenge]

In this photo released by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the part of asteroid Itokawa is seen with the shadow of probe Hayabusa on top right Saturday, Nov. 12, 2005. The Japan's space agency suffered another glitch in its mission to collect surface samples from asteroid Itokawa and retrun to Earth when a can-sized robot lander apparently became lost in space while attempting a practice landing. The rehearsal landing followed an earlier attempt that was aborted due to mechanical trouble, but the space agency said it will go ahead with actual landings on the potato-shaped asteroid Itokawa on Nov. 19 and Nov. 25. (AP Photo/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, HO)