Hayabusa 2

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Hayabusa 2 is the follow on mission to the Hayabusa mission as proposed by JAXA. Hayabusa is an engineering test mission to test technology for sample return from an asteroid. It was launched in 2003 by the M-V rocket and reached its target 25143 Itokawa during the second half of 2005. Hayabusa was able to verify some technologies and could explore its target at close range. However during the final touchdown attempt some problems occurred which made the trip home for the satellite very difficult and uncertain. Also it is not known if a sample could be gained.

The aim for Hayabusa 2 is to build up on the legacy of the original mission, by strengthening the shown weak points. Currently the target is asteroid 1999 JU3 with a proposed launch during 2010-2011.

Hayabusa 2 was agreed by the SAC during 2006 and was announced in the new year interview with JAXA president Keji Tachikawa.[1] However, funding for FY 2007 was insufficient. On October 2007, Jaxa announced that they would seek a partner which would provide a launch vehicle for the probe while they abandoned to use an H-2A due to the lack of funds.

On January 2008, Italian Space Agency (ISA) approached Jaxa as to their interest in the plan in which ISA offered a Vega rocket in exchange for attaching their instruments to the probe. Jaxa will make a reply by the summer of 2008.

The French space agency might build an instrument for the Hayabusa 2.[2]

Hayabusa 2 might be followed by an even more advanced mission called Hayabusa Mark II.