Mothership Hayabusa2 Drops Two Robots on Asteroid Ryugu (1 Viewer)

[Laron]

Thanks to the mothership Hayabusa2, today Japan has made history by landing two robots on the diamond-shaped asteroid Ryugu. The little explorers are traversing the space rock's rugged surface and sending pictures back to Earth. The rovers are built with rotating motors which allows them to shift their momentum hop across the surface because of the gravity conditions. They’re scouting for two other robots scheduled to land later on this year, launching from Hayabusa2. This asteroid is a very primitive body and could contain a chemical history of the formation of our solar system, as well as valuable metals for mining. It took four years for the mothership to arrive from Earth and will return in 2020 carrying samples from Ryugu for researchers.

Image: Asteroid Ryugu. Credit JAXA​

More info on the project: http://global.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/hayabusa2/

Hayabusa is the name of a motorbike I had my eye on owning.

It sure it interesting the lengths these space agencies go to, to complete projects like this. It also makes you wonder if they have any top secret goals they are also taking action on which the public never finds out about.

 

[Carl]

It also makes you wonder if they have any top secret goals they are also taking action on which the public never finds out about.

Indeed! Many people wonder a lot about the many NASA top secret missions.
Regarding this particular asteroid (Ryugu), perhaps by looking at its orbit the placing of early detection devices there could be a good idea. Now the question becomes, early detection of what specifically? We can only conjecture about the most likely possibilities.

 

[Snowmelt]

I wonder if the scientists (if not the robots themselves) are salivating at the thought of what minerals will be discovered, and how easy it would be for automated robotic arms to dig 'em up.

 

[Linda]

I was thinking along the lines of finding a beer can.

 

[Snowmelt]

I was thinking along the lines of finding a beer can.

I don't know why people always throw their empties on asteroids!

 

[Laron]

I wonder if the scientists (if not the robots themselves) are salivating at the thought of what minerals will be discovered, and how easy it would be for automated robotic arms to dig 'em up.

My feeling that this was more about the potential of making a lot of money. But perhaps there is some real science here about finding a new metal or material that can be used for positive benefits back on earth.

 

[Snowmelt]

My feeling that this was more about the potential of making a lot of money. But perhaps there is some real science here about finding a new metal or material that can be used for positive benefits back on earth.

Agreed, Laron. While money is still our slave master, people/orgs will go to ferocious lengths to make it.