JAXA
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Japanese space agency operating Hayabusa2 asteroid sample return mission. Returned samples from C-type asteroid Ryugu provide ground truth for subsurface mechanical properties and composition.
Outreach Questions (1)
What mechanical properties (shear strength, cohesion, compressive strength) have been measured from Ryugu returned samples, and how do they compare to pre-encounter predictions?
OSIRIS-REx TAG at Bennu revealed unexpectedly weak surface material (0.2-20 Pa bearing capacity). Ryugu sample mechanical testing provides the second ground-truth data point for asteroid subsurface characterization, which drives our bucket-wheel excavation design parameters.
Question Status
Contacts
Hayabusa2 Project Team
Asteroid Sample Analysis
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
Returned 5.4g of Ryugu surface material in 2020