Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

Japan pauses asteroid BOMBING raid – still no word from Bruce Willis?

Hayabusa2 blaster won't fly until December

Japan's space agency JAXA has called off the launch of its Hayabusa2 asteroid-mining mission. The plan is to send a probe to a far-flung space rock, blast a hole in it, grab some material, and return it to Earth.

However, bad weather on our home world this week has delayed the launch of the gutsy expedition to sometime next month.

Hayabusa2

Second time lucky for Hayabusa2, JAXA hopes

"The launch of the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 26 (H-IIA F26) with the Asteroid Explorer 'Hayabusa2' onboard has been rescheduled as clouds including a freezing layer that exceeds the restrictions for suitable weather are forecast to be generated at around the scheduled launch time on November 30, 2014," JAXA said in a statement.

Don't worry – this isn't an Armageddon-style affair starring Bruce Willis. The Hayabusa2 mission is Japan's second shot at getting pieces of an asteroid back to Earth.

If all goes to plan, the space probe will lift off next month and fly out to asteroid 1999JU3 by mid-2018 using ion engines. The craft will orbit the rock before dropping a bomb onto the surface.

The resulting blast should leave a hole the asteroid. The probe will then land and dig around in the rubble for material from below the surface using a "sampler horn". The probe will then take off again and head for home carrying its booty, and is due to return in 2020 or slightly later.

Hayabusa2 gives asteroid asteroid 1999JU3 the horn

Hayabusa2 gives asteroid 1999JU3 the horn

The mission is a rerun of JAXA's first Hayabusa, which launched in 2003. That mission was beset with technical difficulties and, when it reached the target asteroid, it's thought the firing mechanism – which was supposed to break the surface of the rock with ball bearings – failed to work.

On its way back, the probe's chemical engines were crippled by a fuel leak and the craft had to rely on its ion thrusters to make slow progress. It landed in 2010, but the only samples recovered were a tiny amount of dust.

Since that first mission, the spacecraft has had key components redesigned, using the lessons from the initial attempt 11 years ago. JAXA boffins are confident that this time larger samples will be returned to Earth and they are hoping for signs of organic or hydrated minerals. ®

 

Similar topics

Similar topics

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like