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Sample Return Science by Hayabusa Near-Earth Asteroid MissionAssigning the material species to each asteroid spectral type and finding out the corresponding meteorite category is crucial to make the global material map in the whole asteroid belt and to understand the evolution of the asteroid belt. Recent direct observations by spacecrafts are revealing new intriguing aspects of asteroids which cannot be obtained solely from ground-based observations or meteorite studies. However identification of the real material species constituting asteroids and their corresponding meteorite analogs are still ambiguous. Space weathering makes difficult to identify the true material, and there is still a great gap between the remote sensing data on the global surface and the local microscopic data from meteorites. Sample return from asteroids are inevitable to solve these problems. For this purpose sample return missions to asteroids belonging to various spectral classes are required. The HAYABUSA spacecraft (prelaunch name is MUSESC) launched last year is the first attempt on this concept. This report presents outline of the mission with special stress on its science.
Document ID
20040059594
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Fujiwara, A.
(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Sagamihara, Japan)
Abe, M.
(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Sagamihara, Japan)
Kato, M.
(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Sagamihara, Japan)
Kushiro, I.
(Japan Marine Science and Technology Center Japan)
Mukai, T.
(Kobe Univ. Japan)
Okada, T.
(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Sagamihara, Japan)
Saito, J.
(Nishimatsu Construction Co. Ltd. Japan)
Sasaki, S.
(Tokyo Univ. Japan)
Yano, H.
(Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Sagamihara, Japan)
Yeomans, D.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2004
Publication Information
Publication: Lunar and Planetary Science XXXV: Asteroids, Meteors, and Comets
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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