Sampling and Analysis of Ryugu Regolith
Abstract
Hayabusa2 is an asteroid exploration mission to return surface samples of a near-Earth C-type asteroid (162173) Ryugu, which is expected to record the long history of the Solar System. The spacecraft will collect surface samples at (at most) three different surface locations of Ryugu during its 18-month stay since June 2018.
The first touchdown for sampling is currently scheduled in the fall of 2018. The concept and design of the Hayabusa2 sampler are basically the same as the Hayabusa sampler to collect more than 100 mg of samples from three surface locations. A 5-g Ta projectile will be shot at each touchdown, and impact ejecta will be transferred into a sample catcher through a sampler horn under microgravity. The samples collected at different locations will be stored separately in up to three chambers of the sample catcher, and the sample catcher will be sealed in the sample container inside the return capsule. The samples will be delivered to the Earth late 2020. The retuned samples will be first investigated in a non-destructive way at the curation facility of ISAS/JAXA (0.5 yr). A part of the samples will then be delivered to the Hayabusa2 team for the science-oriented initial sample analysis (1 yr). The initial analysis led by the Hayabusa2 team will focus on (1) detailed characterization of Ryugu samples and (2) understanding the history of Ryugu and the Solar System, through which the team will maximize the scientific achievement of the project and prove the scientific potential of the samples. During the initial analysis activities, considering the characteristics of the Hayabusa2 sampler system, Ryugu samples will be classified into millimeter-sized coarse grains, <100 μm-sized fine grains, and volatiles that are planed to be extracted from the sample container prior to its opening. The initial analysis team consists of six sub-teams to analyze the three types of samples; 1) chemistry (Lead: Yurimoto), 2) petrology and mineralogy of coarse grains (Lead: Nakamura), 3) petrology and mineralogy of fine grains (Lead: Noguchi), 4) volatiles (Lead: Okazaki), 5) macromolecular organics (Lead: Yabuta), and 6) organic molecules (Lead: Naraoka). In this presentation, we will describe the Hayabusa2 sampler system and the first sampling activity in the fall, and show the current plan of the initial analysis of Ryugu samples.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFM.P33C3846T
- Keywords:
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- 6040 Origin and evolution;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: COMETS AND SMALL BODIESDE: 6055 Surfaces;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: COMETS AND SMALL BODIESDE: 6205 Asteroids;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTSDE: 6207 Comparative planetology;
- PLANETARY SCIENCES: SOLAR SYSTEM OBJECTS