NEC – Spaceflight Now

Scientists thrilled with asteroid treasure returned by Japanese spacecraft

December 15, 2020

Japanese space agency officials said Tuesday they found a “large number” of pitch black rock and dust particles after opening a capsule returned to Earth earlier this month by the Hayabusa 2 mission, giving eager scientists their first significant specimens ever brought back from an asteroid.

Japanese capsule carrying asteroid rocks lands in Australia after six-year mission

December 5, 2020

An armored re-entry capsule carrying pristine specimens from an asteroid streaked into Earth’s atmosphere and parachuted to a landing in the Australian outback Saturday, bringing home extraterrestrial rocks that could hold clues to the origin of life on Earth.

Live coverage: Hayabusa 2 asteroid sample return capsule lands in Australia

December 5, 2020

Japan’s Hayabusa 2 mission returned to Earth Saturday after a six-year mission to collect samples from asteroid Ryugu. The mission’s sample return capsule landed in in the Australian outback around shortly before 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT) Saturday.

Japanese asteroid sampling mission on course for return to Earth

December 5, 2020

Six years after departing Earth, Japan’s Hayabusa 2 spacecraft released a spinning capsule Saturday containing pristine asteroid material for a scorching re-entry and landing in the remote Australian outback, where teams are standing by to retrieve the specimens for analysis.

Japanese radar satellite launched aboard third Epsilon booster

January 17, 2018

Japan’s Epsilon rocket delivered a civilian-operated radar imaging satellite to orbit Wednesday on a mission to demonstrate the performance of a new commercial spacecraft design and collect all-weather imagery for use in emergencies, mapping and global surveillance.

Japan puts its first military communications satellite into orbit

January 24, 2017

A Japanese H-2A rocket took off Tuesday with a communications satellite to relay messages and commands among the country’s defense forces, part of a $1.1 billion program to reduce Japan’s reliance on commercial and international providers to connect its military units.

H-2A rocket primed for launch of Japanese military communications satellite

January 23, 2017

The first communications satellite dedicated to support Japanese defense forces will launch Tuesday on top of an H-2A rocket on the way to a perch more than 22,000 miles above Earth.