From: LARRY KLAES (ljk4_at_msn.com)
Date: Thu Sep 15 2005 - 13:15:34 UTC
>From: JAXA Press Release Mail Service <jaxapr_at_jaxa.jp>
>To: undisclosed-recipients: ;
>Subject: [JAXA:0041] Hayabusa arrives at Itokawa, starts hovering
>operations
>Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 13:35:03 +0900 (JST)
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
> *** JAXA MAIL SERVICE ***
> Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Hayabusa arrives at Itokawa, starts hovering operations
>
> September 14, 2005
> Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
>
>The Hayabusa spacecraft successfully arrived at its target, the near
>Earth asteroid Itokawa (25143), at 01:00 UTC(10:00 JST) on September
>12th. Hayabusa performed a short chemical thruster burn to slow its
>asteroid-relative speed by 7 centimeters per second to settle into the
>Gate Position, defined at a distance of 20 kilometers from Itokawa
>towards the Earth. Hayabusa is now hovering with respect to Itokawa
>and the project has made a great step toward its scientific
>observations of the asteroid. Hayabusa's main purpose is to
>demonstrate key technologies required for future planetary exploration.
>Hayabusa was launched in May 2003. In May 2004, the spacecraft
>performed an Earth gravity assist while using ion engine propulsion,
>this was the first time a spacecraft has flown such a powered flyby.
>
>During its approach to rendezvous, the visible imager carried by
>Hayabusa succeeded in taking multi-band filter photographs of Itokawa,
>as the asteroid rotated. This press release contains the resulting
>synthesized pseudo-color image and a series of rotation pictures of
>Itokawa. In the images, sunlight illuminates the asteroid from behind
>the camera, making the terrain features appear more subdued. Most of
>the key images obtained by the mission to date are available on the
>JAXA main web-site (http://www.jaxa.jp) and the ISAS (Institute of
>Space and Astronautical Science) main web-site (http://www.isas.jaxa.jp).
>
>The Hayabusa spacecraft is in good health and all its scientific
>instruments (consisting of a visible imager, a near infra-red and
>X-ray spectrometer and a laser altimeter) are functioning normally and
>have started their calibration observations. Hayabusa will stay at the
>asteroid until the end of November and plans to perform detailed
>remote sensing and mapping of the asteroid, followed by an attempt to
>collect surface samples of Itokawa. The project goals are then to
>return the sample back to Earth in 2007. Updated information and future
>press releases about the mission will be available at the JAXA and ISAS
>web-sites.
>
>The Hayabusa project is a collaborative mission with participation by
>the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United
>States. The Hayabusa project expresses its appreciation to NASA for
>its support of the mission.
>
>Images taken by AMICA, the Hayabusa visible imager.
>http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2005/09/20050914_hayabusa_e.html#pic01
>
>This page URL:
>http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2005/09/20050914_hayabusa_e.html
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