In-situ investigation of asteroid (162173) Ryugu by the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) as part of the Hayabusa 2 Mission

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa 2 asteroid sample return mission has been launched to asteroid (162173) Ryugu on Dec 3rd, 2014. It arrived at Ryugu on June 27^th 2018, and will return samples to Earth in 2020. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) developed the lander MASCOT in cooperation with the French Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Ryugu is classified as a probable volatile-rich Cg-type asteroid. Its visible geometric albedo is 0.07±0.01, its diameter 0.9 km. Remote sensing measurements indicate a cm-sized, gravel-dominated regolith surface layer. Ryugu rotates with a period of 7.63±0.01h, and spectral observations suggest iron-bearing phyllosilicates on parts of the surface. MASCOT will descend and land on the asteroid at the beginning of October 2018 and enable in-situ mapping of the asteroid's surface. MASCOT comprises a payload of four scientific instruments: a camera, a radiometer, a magnetometer, and a NIR hyperspectral microscope. After landing, MASCOT will change its position by hopping. The main scientific objectives are to investigate: 1) the geological context of the surface; 2) the global magnetization and any local magnetization at the landing positions; 3) the mineralogical composition and physical properties of the surface and near-surface material including minerals and organics; 4) the surface temperature over the entire expected temperature range for a full day-night cycle; 5) the regolith emissivity and thermal inertia; 6) the local morphology and in-situ regolith structure and texture. MASCOT will provide ground truth for the orbiter remote measurements as well as context for the returned samples by qualifying their generic value and processed/pristine state and thus support the laboratory analyses by indicating potential alteration during sampling and cruise First results of MASCOT on surface operations will be presented during the conference.