JAXA
Japan's national aerospace agency, responsible for research, technology development, and utilization of aerospace and space resources. Its scope encompasses satellites, launch vehicles, and human spaceflight programs.
Timeline (last 90 days)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is about to carry out a sample return mission to Phobos.
The sampling technology JAXA accumulated in the Hayabusa and asteroid probe missions will provide important lessons for the Phobos sample return mission.
Hayabusa was launched in 2003 and reached the asteroid Itokawa in 2005; after suffering multiple failures, it brought back a tiny amount of sample in 2010, achieving humanity's first asteroid sample return.
Hayabusa2 was launched in 2014 and reached the asteroid Ryugu in 2018; it used an impactor to create an artificial crater and collect subsurface material, and successfully returned to Earth in 2020 with about 5.4 grams of sample.
Japan's JAXA has published proof-of-concept results related to air-breathing electric propulsion, demonstrating that a net positive thrust can be sustained under simulated very low orbit atmospheric density conditions.
All Facts (5)
The sampling technology JAXA accumulated in the Hayabusa and asteroid probe missions will provide important lessons for the Phobos sample return mission.
50%UnverifiedHayabusa was launched in 2003 and reached the asteroid Itokawa in 2005; after suffering multiple failures, it brought back a tiny amount of sample in 2010, achieving humanity's first asteroid sample return.
50%UnverifiedHayabusa2 was launched in 2014 and reached the asteroid Ryugu in 2018; it used an impactor to create an artificial crater and collect subsurface material, and successfully returned to Earth in 2020 with about 5.4 grams of sample.
50%UnverifiedJapan's JAXA has published proof-of-concept results related to air-breathing electric propulsion, demonstrating that a net positive thrust can be sustained under simulated very low orbit atmospheric density conditions.
50%UnverifiedThe Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is about to carry out a sample return mission to Phobos.
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