Japan’s asteroid mission Hayabusa2 has successfully dropped the first two rovers to the surface of its target space rock Ryugu. Hayabusa2 dropped to a lowest altitude of just 55 meters from the surface and released twin rovers, called MINERVA-II 1A and 1B.
Cameras on the hexagonal rovers will use rotating motors to hop across the surface, each jump lasting some 15 minutes owing to the body’s low gravity.
The landers are designed to take images of the asteroid and their sensors will measure its temperature.
Before it leaves Ryugu next year, the Hayabusa2 mothership will release two more landers and, in late October, touch the surface itself to collect a sample to bring back to Earth.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
The next biggest industry will be in space and Japan will participate. Landing on asteroids is just training first steps.
Getting it back might still be an economically questionable proposition. Mind you, on Earth nickel is mined from ancient asteroid impacts, the delta V to transform a NEO into a new nickel deposit might be pretty low. You’d have to be pretty confident of your targeting, or really, really not like somebody, to try it, though.
The next biggest industry will be in space and Japan will participate. Landing on asteroids is just training first steps.
Getting it back might still be an economically questionable proposition. Mind you on Earth nickel is mined from ancient asteroid impacts the delta V to transform a NEO into a new nickel deposit might be pretty low.You’d have to be pretty confident of your targeting or really really not like somebody to try it though.
Foam it in the shape of a lifting body, with foamed iron on the bottom as a heat shield. Enter Earth’s atmosphere, make a slow-ish water landing and tow the floating piece to port.
Foam it in the shape of a lifting body with foamed iron on the bottom as a heat shield. Enter Earth’s atmosphere make a slow-ish water landing and tow the floating piece to port.
Making an asteroid sized reentry vehicle out of foamed iron, in space, presumably via robots, would be a HUGE undertaking. Hardly the next step in space exploitation.
Making an asteroid sized reentry vehicle out of foamed iron in space presumably via robots would be a HUGE undertaking. Hardly the next step in space exploitation.
Worked for the Velociraptor space program didn’…. oh wait. No. Oops.
Worked for the Velociraptor space program didn’…. oh wait. No. Oops.
Worked for the Velociraptor space program didn’…. oh wait. No. Oops.
Worked for the Velociraptor space program didn’…. oh wait. No. Oops.
Making an asteroid sized reentry vehicle out of foamed iron, in space, presumably via robots, would be a HUGE undertaking. Hardly the next step in space exploitation.
Making an asteroid sized reentry vehicle out of foamed iron in space presumably via robots would be a HUGE undertaking. Hardly the next step in space exploitation.
Worked for the Velociraptor space program didn’…. oh wait. No. Oops.
Making an asteroid sized reentry vehicle out of foamed iron, in space, presumably via robots, would be a HUGE undertaking. Hardly the next step in space exploitation.
Foam it in the shape of a lifting body, with foamed iron on the bottom as a heat shield. Enter Earth’s atmosphere, make a slow-ish water landing and tow the floating piece to port.
Foam it in the shape of a lifting body with foamed iron on the bottom as a heat shield. Enter Earth’s atmosphere make a slow-ish water landing and tow the floating piece to port.
Foam it in the shape of a lifting body, with foamed iron on the bottom as a heat shield. Enter Earth’s atmosphere, make a slow-ish water landing and tow the floating piece to port.
The next biggest industry will be in space and Japan will participate. Landing on asteroids is just training first steps.
The next biggest industry will be in space and Japan will participate. Landing on asteroids is just training first steps.
Getting it back might still be an economically questionable proposition. Mind you, on Earth nickel is mined from ancient asteroid impacts, the delta V to transform a NEO into a new nickel deposit might be pretty low. You’d have to be pretty confident of your targeting, or really, really not like somebody, to try it, though.
Getting it back might still be an economically questionable proposition. Mind you on Earth nickel is mined from ancient asteroid impacts the delta V to transform a NEO into a new nickel deposit might be pretty low.You’d have to be pretty confident of your targeting or really really not like somebody to try it though.
The next biggest industry will be in space and Japan will participate. Landing on asteroids is just training first steps.
Getting it back might still be an economically questionable proposition. Mind you, on Earth nickel is mined from ancient asteroid impacts, the delta V to transform a NEO into a new nickel deposit might be pretty low.
You’d have to be pretty confident of your targeting, or really, really not like somebody, to try it, though.