[meteorite-list] Hayabusa Asteroid probe runs into trouble

From: mark ford <markf_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Oct 7 06:11:51 2005
Message-ID: <6CE3EEEFE92F4B4085B0E086B2941B313B35EB_at_s-southern01.s-southern.com>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4316162.stm



Asteroid probe runs into trouble


Japan's Hayabusa spacecraft, designed to collect a sample from an
asteroid and return it to Earth, has lost the second of its three
"reaction wheels".
These wheels help the probe maintain its "attitude", or orientation, in
space without needlessly expending fuel by using thrusters to do the
same job.

Hayabusa has now settled in a "home position" about 6.8km from its
target, the asteroid Itokawa.

The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) probe launched in 2003.

It is currently using a combination of its two chemical engines and the
last remaining reaction wheel to maintain a stable attitude.

Fuel conservation teams are looking at how to conserve fuel following
the unanticipated use of the engines and considering whether to make
changes to the mission profile. Jaxa's Institute of Space and
Astronautical Science (ISAS) said it will report its plans "as soon as
the strategy is fixed".
ISAS said that fortunately, Hayabusa has nearly finished mapping
asteroid Itokawa.
Received on Fri 07 Oct 2005 06:10:04 AM PDT