Hayabusa-2 space mission belongs to which space agency?

Correct option is A

​​​Correct Answer:(a) JAXA

The Hayabusa2 mission, operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), represents a groundbreaking asteroid sample-return mission and the successor to the original Hayabusa mission. The mission not only advanced spacecraft technology but also expanded humanity's understanding of the origins of life and Earth's resources.

Mission Highlights

1. Launch and Journey:
• Launched: 3 December 2014 on an H-IIA rocket.
• Asteroid rendezvous: 27 June 2018 with 162173 Ryugu, a carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid.
• Return to Earth: 5 December 2020, delivering pristine asteroid samples.
2. Asteroid Ryugu:
• Composition: Carbonaceous material preserving minerals, ice, and organic compounds.
• Scientific significance: Insights into the origin of water, organic compounds, and potentially life on Earth.
3. Technological Advancements:
• Improved systems: Ion engines, guidance, navigation, and attitude control.
• Kinetic penetrator: Used to expose untainted asteroid material for sampling.
4. Rovers and Instruments:
• Four rovers deployed: Rover-1A, Rover-1B, and MASCOT successfully operated, transmitting valuable surface data.
• Payloads included instruments for remote sensing and geological analysis.
5. Extended Mission:
• After delivering samples, Hayabusa2's mission was extended to rendezvous with asteroid 1998 KY26 by 2031.

Key Achievements

• Successful retrieval of asteroid material under challenging conditions.
• Deployment of multiple rovers on an asteroid's surface.
• Provided critical insights into primitive Solar System materials and planetary evolution.

Information Booster

● Hayabusa2 demonstrated significant advancements in ion propulsion and space sampling technology.
● The mission cost approximately 16.4 billion yen (USD 149 million).
● The asteroid Ryugu's name translates to "Dragon Palace" in Japanese folklore, reflecting its mysterious nature.
● The MASCOT rover, developed with German and French collaboration, provided valuable surface data for 16 hours.
● The mission's findings are anticipated to aid in planetary defense strategies against potential asteroid threats.

This mission remains a testament to international collaboration, technological progress, and scientific curiosity in space exploration.

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Additional Knowledge:

• (b) NASA: Known for missions like Apollo, Mars Rovers, and Perseverance, but Hayabusa-2 is not associated with NASA.
• (c) CNSA: The Chinese National Space Administration operates missions like Chang’e (lunar exploration) but not Hayabusa-2.
• (d) ISRO: The Indian Space Research Organisation is renowned for missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, but Hayabusa-2 is not an ISRO mission.
• (a) JAXA: Correct, as Hayabusa-2 is a flagship mission of Japan's space agency.