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An image captured by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft after the second sampling procedure.
(Image: © JAXA, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, Nagoya University, Chiba Institute of Technology, Meiji University, Aizu University and AIST)
From Japan Hayabusa2 has packed the capsule that will carry its precious space rock load to Earth in order to leave the Ryugu asteroid later this year.
Japan's Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) spacecraft is a milestone as it focuses on the return phase of the mission.
Hayabusa2 completed his second and last sampling maneuver in July. The completion of the business probably means that the shuttle's three-chamber sample storage mechanism is full, with rock fragments coming from both the surface and the interior of Ryugu. .
Related: Pow! The Japanese Hayabusa2 launches a crater on the asteroid Ryugu (Photo)
During an operation today (August 26th), the sample collector was stored in the re-entry capsule (see figure). The sampler and capsule teams met to watch and the operation went well. The capsule is now ready for the return of the Earth! pic.twitter.com/xKmBcD5G6gAugust 26, 2019
Today (26 August), JAXA confirmed that the sampling chamber was now stored in the re-entry capsule, which would be the only part of the spacecraft to return to Earth. This capsule is expected to arrive home by the end of 2020.
Upon his return, the return capsule will cross the Earth's atmosphere to land in the air. Woomera Protected Area from the south outback of Australia. Japan worked with Australia to get permission to install an antenna to locate the capsule and recover the capsule, according to the JAXA.
Earlier this month, JAXA also heard from a reporter two little rovers hopping Hayabusa2 deployed on the surface of Ryugu in September. According to JAXA press documents, these two larvae woke up; the mission team is thinking about what to do with them.
The main spacecraft Hayabusa2 carries another little rovercalled MINERVA-II2, which the team plans to roll out later this fall; a rehearsal is scheduled for September 5th.
This deployment is the last task of the spacecraft before returning to Earth for the one-year trip to the carter. space cargo home to scientists eagerly awaiting special delivery in 2020.
JAXA plans to retrieve the Hayabusa2 re-entry capsule in the Woomera Forbidden Area in Australia's southern backwater.
(Image credit: JAXA)
Email Meghan Bartels at [email protected] or follow her. @meghanbartels. follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
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