Published the first video from the surface of the asteroid
MOSCOW, 27 Sep — RIA Novosti. A couple of Rovers, MINERVA-II1 transmitted to Earth new photos of the surface of the asteroid Rugy and a small video, recorded during one of their “leaps”, reports JAXA.
Upstairs
“Kind of “stud” that can be seen in one of the photographs adorn the surface of Rovers not just because they solve three tasks. They help them stronger to cling to the surface of the asteroid during the jump, to protect solar panels from damage and contain the temperature sensors”, — the experts of the Japanese space Agency.
Automatic station “Hayabusa-2” was launched into space in early December 2014 to explore, collect and return samples from the asteroid Rugu. As scientists hope, it will return to earth first 100% “clean” samples of primordial matter in the Solar system.
The Japanese unit reached the goal in early June and began a long process of braking and rendezvous with the asteroid.
Sampling of soil, despite the fact that “Hayabusa-2” has reached Ruhu, will only happen in a few weeks. First, the probe should identify the position in orbit and to adjust it if the need arises, and then comprehensively study the structure of the subsoil and topography of the asteroid.
Only then interplanetary station comes closer to the surface Rugy and drop her a kind of “firecracker” which will reveal and throw away the pristine material from the depths of the asteroid. “Hayabusa-2” will collect the dust and pebbles, levitating in a vacuum, during the second flight over this point.
In addition, the “Hayabusa-2” delivered to the asteroid three launchable unit — two Japanese Rover MINERVA-II1, the analogue of which were sent to the asteroid Itokawa along with the “Habutai-1” back in 2003, and the European unit MASCOT.
The news
Robots Rover-Rover 1A and-1B were successfully dropped on the surface Rugy at the weekend. Over the next hours and days they got a lot of pictures and gathered a lot of scientific data which are now processed by JAXA specialists.
A new batch of photos and the first video from the surface of the asteroid, was transferred to the Ground in the middle of the week after the next “hop” Rovers on the surface Rugu. While all the tools and the solar battery devices are working properly, and their life is not in danger.