A photo from open sources
On the video below, the maximum rapprochement of the Japanese probe Hayabusa 2 with the surface of the Ryugu astroid without touching it, after which the soil was captured of this celestial body.
The mechanism itself seems very simple: the probe brings the bell closer the dirt box is almost flush with the surface and shoots tantalum bullet, thanks to which the fragments of the asteroid themselves fall into compilation. In fact, it was all very difficult to calculate and perform with such impeccability, and even shoot on video. But everything went well.
A photo from open sources
Today, a video of the capture of soil from the asteroid Hugu is already “walking” in full over the Internet. But for this, the Japanese space agency JAXA needed to raise a lot of money from everyone who is financially supported this space mission since the CAM-H camcorder, mounted on the probe, purchased with funds from donations, and it costs more than 100 thousand dollars. But is it not priceless that is she taking pictures? ..
Having taken the soil and filmed this unique moment on video, Hayabusa 2 turned on the engines and flew away from the asteroid, raising particles regolith (see video).
Now the probe has to prepare for its next, yet more complicated operation. It will be that Hayabusa 2 will have to take subsurface soil from the asteroid. For this the Japanese apparatus with the help of explosives and a copper impactor will create an artificial crater on Ryuga, which will allow you to get inside celestial body.
During the explosion, the probe will fly off and hide behind the asteroid, while the birth of a new crater will still be filmed using Deployable Camera – a special camera that will remain “watch” what is happening and then transfer everything that was shot to Hayabusa 2.
Preparations for such a complex operation have already begun, but she asteroid bombing will be carried out in April, and in June the probe will take samples of subsurface soil. In July, the satellite will reset to Rugu the MINERVA-II2 microrover, will make sure that the mission is completed and The astroid will leave the end of 2019, that is, it will go home to Earth. Its return with soil and other unique materials JAXA employees expect by the end of 2020, i.e. a probe it will take a little more than a year to return to “home harbor”.
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