hayabusa (spacecraft)

はやぶさ (hayabusa), also known as MUSES-C, is a space probe that the JAXA developed and it's main purpose was to perform various technological experiments through a mission involving the returning of a sample from an asteroid.

This spacecraft, while being hit with fatal complications many times over, returned to Earth. This great undertaking gathered social interest, and a "Hayabusa boom", big enough to make three movies, occurred. However, there are many space development fans who fear that this story may impede the improvement of the underlying causes like budgetary deficits.

The solar paddles arranged in a H-shape, the four ion thrusters, a parabolic high-gain radio antenna and the re-entry capsule half embedded in the body are this probe's external characteristics. In Hayabusa's fan's artwork, almost always this "wok with a lid"-like shape a capsule is drawn.

See also

• minerva_(spacecraft) / (asteroid rover)
• spacecraft
• atmospheric reentry