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The asteroid probe Hayabusa-2 in Japan has already carried out a number of scientific initiatives. It successfully entered orbit around the Ryugu asteroid, deployed a pair of rovers and a cube of instruments filled with sensors to return data to the rock, and delivered the very first captured images to the surface of an asteroid.
Unfortunately, those who expect the probe to achieve its most impressive feat will now have to wait several more months. The Japanese JAXA space program reveals that the landing of the probe on the asteroid will take place at the end of January 2019 instead of the end of the month, which was the initial schedule.
The JAXA announced this announcement today, revealing that it was harder than anyone to find a place to land the probe. Yuichi Tsuda, a member of JAXA, told reporters that landing the mother ship Hayabusa-2 on the rock would be "very difficult," told reporters that the team "was waiting at that the surface is smooth, but it seems that there is no flat surface ".
Indeed, as revealed by the images returned by the probe, Ryugu is anything but smooth. It is absolutely covered with rocks and rocks that would make it difficult to land a spaceship. The Hayabusa-2 probe must find a flat landing spot to sample the rock material and then transport that sample to Earth.
Attempting a dangerous landing that could damage the boat and hinder its eventual return is not a solution. The JAXA team will therefore spend more time searching for a better place for landing. The mission, whose total cost is estimated at about $ 260 million, is expected to be completed by 2020 when the spacecraft will finally return to Earth, with some asteroid material concealed in search of scientists.
Source of the picture: JAXA
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