First photos of Hayabusa 2!

[Frida Space]

Two days ago, JAXA finally revealed the Hayabusa 2 probe. Hayabusa 1 was the first probe to return asteroid samples to Earth. Hayabusa 2 will be doing something similar, but it will also carry an European lander, three rover-like vehicles and an impactor.... that sound more like a fleet than a single mission! I think it's a really impressive attempt from Japan and I love the photos. (Look at those ion engines! and those RCS thrusters!)

The 4 ion engines produce 10 millinewtons of thrust. KSP's ion engine is approx. 200 000 times more powerful!!

What do you guys think of this mission?

Sources:

www.pollucenotizie.com/2014/09/hayabusa.html (ITALIAN)

www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2014/08311314-hayabusa-2-complete.html (ENGLISH)

[xenomorph555]

I believe it actually has 5 impactors or at least 2 as well as some sort of bomb to blast a crater into the comet.

[Frida Space]

I believe it actually has 5 impactors or at least 2 as well as some sort of bomb to blast a crater into the comet.

I read that it's going to drop a sort of target so it can descent more safely towards the surface and collect samples. The probe will carry five targets, although it will just take two samples.

And yes, the impactor is going to explode in proximity of the asteroid and form a crater. The second sample is going to come from this crater

Edited September 1, 2014 by Frida Space
The targets are 5, not 2

[lajoswinkler]

What's the purpose of exploding in the vicinity if there's no atmosphere? Bombs don't work that way.

[Kryten]

It's an explosively-formed projectile. Effectively a recoilless rifle without the rifle.

[magnemoe]

It's an explosively-formed projectile. Effectively a recoilless rifle without the rifle.

An sharped charge would be more efficient however the explosives would pollute the sample area, an explosively-formed projectile send an high speed projectile into it from a decent distance reducing the pollution a lot.

[magnemoe]

Complex mission, two samples one in a crater they make. Is the small ball sub-probes for targeting?

I think its fun how mission complexity has gone up the last years.

[astropapi1]

...but it will also carry an European lander...

You almost gave me a heart attack!

[Frida Space]

Is the small ball sub-probes for targeting?

They are.

"Hayabusa 2 will deploy one of five target markers that it will use to guide itself into landing and collecting a sample". The probe will collect two samples in total from the asteroid.

What's the purpose of exploding in the vicinity if there's no atmosphere? Bombs don't work that way.

It's an explosively-formed projectile. Effectively a recoilless rifle without the rifle.

They made it explosive because it won't have much kinetic energy.

[jfull]

You almost gave me a heart attack!

Did you think it said "Europa Lander?"

[astropapi1]

Did you think it said "Europa Lander?"

Yup. I got really excited for a second.

[Frida Space]

Yup. I got really excited for a second.

Hahaha, I'm sorry I let you down.