A German - French probe address MASCOT is now collecting valuable data from the surface of Ryugu , an asteroid located 190 million miles from Earth . But it well get cracking — the shoebox - sized probe has only 16 60 minutes to last .
The 22 - pound ( 10 kg ) probe was designed and build by the German Aerospace Center , or Deutsches Zentrum für Luft - und Raumfahrt ( DLR ) , in airless cooperation with the French space agency CNES ( Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales ) and several other origination . valuate 11.6 inch ( 29.5 centimeters ) at its widest , the box - mold probe is power by a non - rechargeable battery that ’s not carry to last for more than 960 minutes .
And this clock is now mark .
At 9:58 p.m. ET on Tuesday , Japan ’s Hayabusa2 investigation release the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout , or MASCOT , which gently landed on the asteroid ’s surface a few minutes later , accordingto DLR . During its 167 - metrical unit ( 51 meter ) free declination , MASCOT descend no quicker than a walking pace . MASCOT now link Japan ’s two MINERVA - II rover , whichlandedon Ryugu 10 days ago .
Hello#Earth , hello@haya2kun ! I predict to send you some pictures of#Ryuguso here ’s a shot I took during my parentage . Can you distinguish my shadow?#AsteroidLandingpic.twitter.com / dmcilFl5ms
— MASCOT Lander ( @MASCOT2018)October 3 , 2018
“ It could not have go better , ” said MASCOT project manager Tra - Mi Ho in a affirmation . “ From the lander ’s telemetry , we were able to see that it separated from the mothercraft , and made physical contact with the asteroid surface around 20 moment after . ”
During its free drop , the investigation wield to capture 20 photographs of Ryugu , where which subsequently uploaded to the Hayabusa2 ballistic capsule for keeping .
contribute its limited bombardment life , MASCOT is require to choke shortly before 2:00 p.m. ET today . Before this happen , however , the tiny probe will perform various measurements on Ryugu ’s surface and convey valuable data point to Hayabusa2 . To do so , MASCOT will use four instruments : a television camera ( MASCAM ) , a radiometer to measure electromagnetic radiation ( MARA ) , an infrared microscope ( MicrOmega ) , and a magnetometer to appraise magnetic military unit ( MASMAG ) . The investigation will capture images at multiple wavelengths , study surface material , record surface temperature , among other undertaking .
After it performs its first set of planned measurements , the investigation will hop to a second location and , fingers sweep , do it all over again before expiring ; there ’s only enough time for one record hop . JAXA ’s MINERVA - II1 and MINERVA - II2 probes will be able-bodied to make multiple jump , hopping from location to localisation . datum collected by MASCOT will help scientist learn the Solar System ’s “ most primordial material directly on an asteroid , ” as DLR planetary researcher Ralf Jaumann put it .
The next big milestone for the Hayabusa2 mission should add up afterward this month . The spacecraft , after forming a volcanic crater on the asteroid ’s open with an explosive “ impactor , ” will go down to the crater and collect sample . Hayabusa2 and its precious loading will then head back to Earth to complete this historic mission .
Update : October 4 , 2018 , 3:41 p.m. ET : As Spacereports , MASCOT manage to live an superfluous 60 minutes , buy the farm after 17 60 minutes of valiant oeuvre . It even make do to make an unscheduled third hop .
And during this extra time , I also made another hop and explore part of a third asteroid Clarence Day ! But the best matter is : I station ALL the data I collected to@haya2kun ! Now team , it ’s up to YOU to empathise Ryugu.#AsteroidLanding
— MASCOT Lander ( @MASCOT2018)October 4 , 2018
Congrats to the DLR squad and its partners . MASCOT ’s time on Ryugu may have been abbreviated , but it demand a plenty of work and fourth dimension to make it happen .
[ German Aerospace Center , BBC , AFP ]
asteroidsAstronomyHayabusa2Science
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