ASTEROID RYUGU

Japan’s space agency on Friday shared a movie of the MASCOT lander descending onto the asteroid Ryugu.

+++ Three hops in three asteroid days – MASCOT successfully completes the exploration of the surface of asteroid Ryugu +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/1755_read-30138/#/gallery/32253 ++++ Updates: https://www.twitter.com/MASCOT2018 +++ +++ MASCOT ist am 3. Oktober 2018 erfolgreich auf Asteroid Ryugu gelandet! +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10081/151_read-30138/year-all/#/gallery/32253 Nach fast 4 Jahren Reise endlich angekommen: Der Lander MASCOT an Bord der japanischen Raumsonde HAYABUSA2 landet am 3. Oktober 2018 auf dem Asteroiden Ryugu. Dazu wird in Bremen auf dem IAC2018 und in Köln am Kontrollzentrum des Asteroidenlanders eine Pressekonferenz mit ersten Updates gehalten. Alle Videos zum einfachen Download auf https://vimeo.com/album/5104849 Mehr Informationen zur Mission Hayabusa2 & MASCOT: https://www.dlr.de/mascot Playlist Hayabusa2 & MASCOT: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDWnfmz-B8FXtdK3hovKHuuMJDF3PU4P LANDUNG AUF EINEM ASTEROIDEN: https://youtu.be/8qurKTjXbEM Animation: Asteroidenlander MASCOT auf Hayabusa2: https://youtu.be/EiNcAWFN4Rs #AsteroidLanding #hayabusa2 #Ryugu

Webinar archive entitled, “Asteroid Exploration and the Latest from the Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Missions” featuring NASA Astromaterials Research & Exploration Science (ARES) scientist, Dr. Paul Abell. Formal presentation runs ~52 minutes; Q&A session continues through the end of the video archive. (Live webinar held on 9/27/18). Note: Choppy video in the recording from ~25:10 – ~25:45.

The Japanese Hayabusa 2 mission has successfully managed to put 2 of its 4 'rovers' onto the surface of Ryugu and return the closest ever pictures from the surface of an asteroid. There was some concern when mission controllers didn't update us for a day, but, now we have pictures showing the spacecraft are healthy and moving over the surface.

Hyabusa2 has captured the highest resolution image of asteroid Ryugu so far.

+++ Three hops in three asteroid days – MASCOT successfully completes the exploration of the surface of asteroid Ryugu +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/1755_read-30138/#/gallery/32253 ++++ Updates: https://www.twitter.com/MASCOT2018 +++ +++ MASCOT ist am 3. Oktober 2018 erfolgreich auf Asteroid Ryugu gelandet! +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10081/151_read-30138/year-all/#/gallery/32253 MASCOT ist ein Lander an Bord der japanischen Raumsonde Hayabusa2. Ziel der Mission ist der Asteroid Ryugu. Dort angekommen soll MASCOT auf der Oberfläche aufsetzen, sich hüpfend fortbewegen und erstmals in der Raumfahrtgeschichte an mehreren Orten Messungen auf einem Asteroiden durchführen. Weitere Informationen über den Hashtag #AsteroidLanding, dem Twitter-Account des Landers https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 und auf unserer Sonderseite zur Mission #Hayabusa2 & #MASCOT https://www.dlr.de/mascot Playlist Hayabusa2 und MASCOT: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDWnfmz-B8FXtdK3hovKHuuMJDF3PU4P

+++ Three hops in three asteroid days – MASCOT successfully completes the exploration of the surface of asteroid Ryugu +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/1755_read-30138/#/gallery/32253 ++++ Updates: https://www.twitter.com/MASCOT2018 +++ +++ MASCOT ist am 3. Oktober 2018 erfolgreich auf Asteroid Ryugu gelandet! +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10081/151_read-30138/year-all/#/gallery/32253 Der wissenschaftliche Leiter von MASCOT, Prof. Ralf Jaumann, erklärt die vier Instrumente und deren Funktion an Bord des Asteroidenlanders. MASCOT ist ein Lander an Bord der japanischen Raumsonde Hayabusa2. Ziel der Mission ist der Asteroid Ryugu. Dort angekommen soll MASCOT auf der Oberfläche aufsetzen, sich hüpfend fortbewegen und erstmals in der Raumfahrtgeschichte an mehreren Orten Messungen auf einem Asteroiden durchführen. Weitere Videos zur Mission Hayabusa2 und MASCOT in unserer Playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDWnfmz-B8FXtdK3hovKHuuMJDF3PU4P Weitere Informationen über den Hashtag #AsteroidLanding, dem Twitter-Account des Landers https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 und auf unserer Sonderseite zur Mission #Hayabusa2 & #MASCOT https://www.dlr.de/mascot

JAXA’s MINERVA-II1B rover captured imagery from the surface of asteroid Ryugu on Sept. 23, 2018. -- Japan's Two Hopping Rovers Successfully Land on Asteroid: Ryugu: https://www.space.com/41912-japanese-hopping-rovers-land-on-asteroid.html Credit: Space.com / footage courtesy of JAXA / produced and edited by Steve Spaleta

+++ Three hops in three asteroid days – MASCOT successfully completes the exploration of the surface of asteroid Ryugu +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/1755_read-30138/#/gallery/32253 ++++ Updates: https://www.twitter.com/MASCOT2018 +++ +++ MASCOT ist am 3. Oktober 2018 erfolgreich auf Asteroid Ryugu gelandet! +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10081/151_read-30138/year-all/#/gallery/32253 MASCOT is a lander on board the Japanese #Hayabusa2 spacecraft. The destination of the mission is the asteroid Ryugu. MASCOT will touch down on the surface, ‘hop’ from location to location, and carry out measurements at various points on an asteroid for the frst time in history. More Information via #AsteroidLanding, the #MASCOT Twitter Account https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 and our dedicated Mission Site https://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/ Playlist Hayabusa2 and MASCOT: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDWnfmz-B8FXtdK3hovKHuuMJDF3PU4P - mixed language version - Subtitles available in GERMAN & ENGLISH

Japan's rovers have sent back video footage and images from asteroid Ryugu's surface.

+++ Three hops in three asteroid days – MASCOT successfully completes the exploration of the surface of asteroid Ryugu +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/1755_read-30138/#/gallery/32253 ++++ Updates: https://www.twitter.com/MASCOT2018 +++ +++ MASCOT ist am 3. Oktober 2018 erfolgreich auf Asteroid Ryugu gelandet! +++ https://www.dlr.de/dlr/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10081/151_read-30138/year-all/#/gallery/32253 MASCOT is a lander on board the Japanese Hayabusa2 spacecraft. The destination of the mission is the asteroid Ryugu. MASCOT will touch down on the surface, ‘hop’ from location to location, and carry out measurements at various points on an asteroid for the frst time in history. More Information via #AsteroidLanding, the MASCOT Twitter Account https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 and our dedicated Mission Site https://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/ Playlist Hayabusa2 and MASCOT: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDWnfmz-B8FXtdK3hovKHuuMJDF3PU4P ----------------------------------------------------- MASCOT ist ein Lander an Bord der japanischen Raumsonde Hayabusa2. Ziel der Mission ist der Asteroid Ryugu. Dort angekommen soll MASCOT auf der Oberfläche aufsetzen, sich hüpfend fortbewegen und erstmals in der Raumfahrtgeschichte an mehreren Orten Messungen auf einem Asteroiden durchführen. +++ Wir landen auf dem Asteroiden #Ryugu am 3.10.2018 +++ Weitere Informationen über den Hashtag #AsteroidLanding, dem Twitter-Account des Landers https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 und auf unserer Sonderseite zur Mission #Hayabusa2 & #MASCOT https://www.dlr.de/mascot Playlist Hayabusa2 und MASCOT: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEDWnfmz-B8FXtdK3hovKHuuMJDF3PU4P

The Japanese space agency, JAXA, has become the first country to land two rovers on an asteroid. But these rovers, called Rover1A and Rover1B, aren't your ordinary rovers that explore a new world by driving on it. These rovers hop. And they will hop all over asteroid Ryugu for science. ------------------------------------------------------ Tech Insider tells you all you need to know about tech: gadgets, how-to's, gaming, science, digital culture, and more. Subscribe to our channel and visit us at: http://www.businessinsider.com/sai TI on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/techinsider TI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tech_insider/ TI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/techinsider INSIDER on Snapchat: https://insder.co/2KJLtVo ------------------------------------------------------ Following is the transcript of the video: Japan has landed two hopping robots onto asteroid Ryugu as part of the Hayabusa2 mission. It's Japan's second mission to an asteroid, where it plans to return some samples of Ryugu to Earth by the early 2020s. So that scientists can study the samples with more sophisticated instruments and hopefuly uncover some of the biggest scientific mysteries of all. Following is a transcript of the video. On September 21, Japan’s space agency made history. It became the first country to land not one, but two rovers onto an asteroid. Already, the unmanned rovers have sent back the first images while on the surface. And no, so far it’s looking like there are no alien cities on its surface. But this mission, called Hayabusa2, could ultimately help solve one of the grandest scientific mysteries of all: Where did life on Earth come from? Scientists have been studying asteroids for years. NASA, for example, landed its N.E.A.R Shoemaker spacecraft on asteroid Eros in 2001. But its Japan’s space agency that is the first to deploy a pair of rovers to explore an asteroid’s surface. Japan launched the Hayabusa2 mission in December, 2014. So, it has already been about 3.5 years in the making. The spacecraft rendezvoused with its target in June 2018. Snapping a series of pictures that revealed the asteroid’s shape. The asteroid of choice was 162173 Ryugu, or Ryugu for short. In Japanese it refers to a magical, underwater Dragon Palace. Now, the asteroid flies through space, around the sun ever 16 months. Conveniently between the orbits of Earth and Mars. Making it an ideal target for the mission. Which, if all goes according to plan, will return a sample of the asteroid to Earth by the early 2020s. As the spacecraft flew closer to the asteroid’s surface, it prepared to deploy its first two unmanned rovers. But these guys aren’t your typical space rover. They’re slightly bigger than the size of a large iPhone. Measuring just 7 by 18 centimeters. And they won’t be driving around on the asteroid’s surface. They’ll be hopping. Yup, you heard that right. Hopping. Japan designed the rovers with a spinning cylinder inside that gives it the power to hop about a few meters at a time. This reduces the risk of getting stuck on the rocky, uneven surface. But it doesn’t come without it’s own risk. Asteroids are relatively small and therefore have a weak gravitational pull. And even by asteroid standards, Ryugu is tiny. It’s less than a kilometer across, making it no larger than a few city blocks. So, if the rovers hop too high, they could potentially go flying off into space. But so far, the mission looks good. The rovers have already achieved their first hop. Now, this may be the first time Japan has landed on an asteroid but it won’t be the last. These two rovers are just the first of four that Japan aims to land on Ryugu. The other two rovers are scheduled to land within the next year. In the process, Japan hopes to collect and return a sample of Ryugu to Earth. So that scientists can study it in more detail, looking for traces of water and organic material. If it turns out that asteroids like Ryugu contain similar material that we see on Earth it would be strong evidence for the idea that life on Earth first came from an asteroids billions of years ago. But this is a mystery that we can only answer if we study asteroids directly.

The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's spacecraft successfully landed two tiny rovers on asteroid Ryugu on Sept. 22.

JAXA's Hayabusa2 spacecraft deployed two little "rovers" called MINERVA-II1A and MINERVA-II1B to land on the surface of asteroid Ryugu on Sept. 21, 2018. JAXA confirmed that they landed on Sept. 22, 2018. -- They Made It! Japan's Two Hopping Rovers Successfully Land on Asteroid Ryugu: https://www.space.com/41912-japanese-hopping-rovers-land-on-asteroid.html Credit: Space.com / footage coutesy: JAXA / produced and edited by Steve Spaleta

Japan's rovers made history by successfully landing on the surface of Ryugu.

Japan’s Hayabusa2 is preparing to drop two small exploratory robots onto the rocky surface of the Ryugu asteroid.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa-2 spacecraft reached an altitude of about 1968 feet (600 m) above the surface of asteroid Ryugu on Sept. 12, 2018 and it saw its shadow! -- More about Hayabusa2: https://www.space.com/40161-hayabusa2.html Credit: Space.com / imagery courtesy: JAXA / animation courtesy DLR / produced and edited by Steve Spaleta

小惑星探査機「はやぶさ2」は、引き続き小惑星 Ryugu（リュウグウ）の観測活動を実施しています。 今回の説明会では「はやぶさ2」の現在の状況、リュウグウの観測状況、タッチダウン地点・MASCOTやMINERVA-IIの着陸地点選定の進捗と候補地（※）について説明を行います。 ※ 候補地であり、8月23日時点で決定している情報ではないことにご注意ください。 日時：平成30（2018）年8月23日（木）16：00～17：30 登壇者： JAXA宇宙科学研究所「はやぶさ2」プロジェクトチーム 　プロジェクトマネージャ 　津田　雄一（つだ　ゆういち） 　（JAXA宇宙科学研究所　宇宙飛翔工学研究系　准教授） 　プロジェクトサイエンティスト 　渡邊　誠一郎（わたなべ　せいいちろう） 　（名古屋大学大学院　環境学研究科　教授） 　スポークスパーソン 　久保田　孝（くぼた　たかし） 　（JAXA宇宙科学研究所　研究総主幹／宇宙機応用工学研究系　教授） ドイツ航空宇宙センター（DLR） 　MASCOTプロジェクトマネージャ 　Tra-Mi Ho（トラミ・ホー） フランス国立宇宙研究センター（CNES） 　MASCOTプロジェクトマネージャ 　Aurélie MOUSSI（オーレリー・ムーシ） 説明会資料： 小惑星探査機「はやぶさ2」の着地点候補について／Candidates for landing sites for the Hayabusa2 mission http://fanfun.jaxa.jp/jaxatv/files/20180823_hayabusa2.pdf ※本記者説明会の内容や登壇者へのご質問は、ここのコメント欄では受け付けておりません。予めご了承ください。

Digitaltrends reports that after a 42-month journey through space, the Japanese probe Hayabusa 2 has finally reached its destination. It's a rocky little cube named Ryugu, formally known as Asteroid 162173. It is some 200 million miles from Earth. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (or JAXA) confirmed the arrival of the spacecraft in an announcement earlier this week. During its 18-month mission, the space probe will analyze the tiny rock with a series of tests. It will deploy three miniature rovers to the surface. Before leaving, it will even blast a new crater into the surface, gather up some of the material dislodged, and then return to Earth with the samples aboard. https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/hayabusa-2-arrives-at-asteroid-ryugu/ http://www.wochit.com This video was produced by YT Wochit News using http://wochit.com

RYUGU ASTEROID — A Japanese space probe has reached its destination after travelling through space for three years. The Hayabusa 2 spacecraft blasted off in December 2014, Reuters reports. This week it arrived at its destination, Asteroid Ryugu, some 3 billion kilometers from Earth. Reuters reports Hayabusa 2 will orbit the asteroid for a few months in order to map its surface before it attempts a landing. The probe will use explosives and a cannon to craft a hole the surface, then collect from samples from the area. After the Hayabusa 2 has finished its work on the asteroid, the probe will begin a year-and-a-half journey back to Earth. It's expected to return in 2020. Subscribe to TomoNews ►►http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-TomoNews Watch more TomoNews ►►http://bit.ly/MoreTomoNews TomoNews is your best source for real news. We cover the funniest, craziest and most talked-about stories on the internet. If you’re laughing, we’re laughing. If you’re outraged, we’re outraged. We tell it like it is. And because we can animate stories, TomoNews brings you news like you’ve never seen before. Top TomoNews Stories - The most popular videos on TomoNews! http://bit.ly/Top_TomoNews_Stories You Idiot! - People doing stupid things http://bit.ly/You-Idiot Recent Uploads - The latest stories brought to you by TomoNews http://bit.ly/Latest-TomoNews Ultimate TomoNews Compilations - Can't get enough of TomoNews? This playlist is for you! New videos every day http://bit.ly/Ulitmate_TomoNews_Compilations Thanks for watching TomoNews! Like TomoNews on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TomoNewsUS Follow us on Twitter: @tomonewsus http://www.twitter.com/TomoNewsUS Follow us on Instagram: @tomonewsus http://instagram.com/tomonewsus Visit our website for all the latest videos: http://us.tomonews.com Check out our Android app: http://bit.ly/1rddhCj Check out our iOS app: http://bit.ly/1gO3z1f Get top stories delivered to your inbox every day: http://bit.ly/tomo-newsletter

Japan's Hayabusa 2 space probe has finally reached the asteroid, Ryugu, and plans to bring soil samples back to Earth. Be Smarter. Faster. More Colorful and get the full story at http://www.usatoday.com Want even more?! Subscribe to USA TODAY's YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/1xa3XAh Like USA TODAY on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/usatoday Follow USA TODAY on Twitter: https://twitter.com/USATODAY

On June 27, 2018, JAXA's Hayabusa2 mission officially arrived at asteroid Ryugu. Dante Lauretta, principal investigator for NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, sent his congratulations to the Hayabusa2 team and thanked them for all their hard work. The two missions are collaborating in a number of ways to maximize the scientific return of the two asteroid exploration missions. More about the collaboration: http://bit.ly/2KdR4mK

A Japanese space explorer arrived at an asteroid Wednesday after a 3½-year journey and now begins its real work of trying to blow a crater to collect samples to eventually bring back to Earth.

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The Hayabusa-2 Spacecraft is almost at its destination, the asteroid Ryugu, which is a small near Earth asteroid. Hayabusa-2 carries a number of experiments including 4 surface rovers and a surface impactor experiment that bears more than a passing resembelance to an Anti-Tank weapon.

A Japanese spacecraft has gotten its first clear view of Ryugu, an oddly-shaped asteroid that many say looks like a dango dumpling.

***Japanese Version*** On 3 December 2014, the Japanese space probe Hayabusa2 embarked on a sample return mission to asteroid (162173) Ryugu (formerly designated 1999 JU3). On board is the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT), a lander built by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt; DLR) in collaboration with the French space agency CNES. The aim of the Hayabusa2 mission is to learn more about the origin and evolution of the Solar System. As asteroids account for some of the most primordial celestial bodies, researching them gives us a glimpse into our cosmic past. Furthermore, Ryugu is a near-Earth asteroid, which means it could pose a threat to Earth and must be investigated in order to reduce this threat. Details: http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/ Follow https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 for updates. See (and Download) our MASCOT & Hayabusa2 album on Vimeo for this Animation in German, English, French, Japanese and without Branding: https://vimeo.com/album/5104849

En décembre 2014, la sonde japonaise Hayabusa 2 a quitté la Terre avec à son bord Mascot (Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout), un atterrisseur développé par le DLR (Agence spatiale allemande) en collaboration avec le CNES. La mission de cette sonde? Prélever des échantillons de 1999 JU3 (Ryugu), un astéroïde géocroiseur de 920 mètres environ. Hayabusa 2 arrivera à proximité de ce corps céleste au cours de l'année 2018. Puis, en octobre 2018, la sonde larguera l’atterrisseur Mascot, qui viendra se poser à la surface de l'astéroïde. Details: http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/ & in French by our colleagues from CNES https://mascot.cnes.fr/fr/MASCOT/Fr/index.htm Follow https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 for updates. See (and Download) our MASCOT & Hayabusa2 album on Vimeo for this Animation in German, English, French, Japanese and without Branding: https://vimeo.com/album/5104849

On 3 December 2014, the Japanese space probe Hayabusa2 embarked on a sample return mission to asteroid (162173) Ryugu (formerly designated 1999 JU3). On board is the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT), a lander built by the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt; DLR) in collaboration with the French space agency CNES. The aim of the Hayabusa2 mission is to learn more about the origin and evolution of the Solar System. As asteroids account for some of the most primordial celestial bodies, researching them gives us a glimpse into our cosmic past. Furthermore, Ryugu is a near-Earth asteroid, which means it could pose a threat to Earth and must be investigated in order to reduce this threat. Details: http://www.dlr.de/dlr/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10975/ Follow https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 for updates. See (and Download) our MASCOT & Hayabusa2 album on Vimeo for this Animation in German, English, French, Japanese and without Branding: https://vimeo.com/album/5104849

Die japanische Raumsonde Hayabusa2 befindet sich seit dem 3. Dezember 2014 auf einer Probenrückführmission zum Asteroiden Ryugu (ehemals 1999 JU3). Mit an Bord ist der Lander MASCOT. Er wurde federführend vom Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) in enger Zusammenarbeit mit der französischen Raumfahrtagentur CNES und der japanischen Raumfahrtagentur JAXA gebaut. Ziel von Hayabusa2 ist es, mehr über den Ursprung und die Entwicklung unseres Sonnensystems zu erfahren. Asteroiden gehören zu den ursprünglichsten Himmelskörpern. Ihre Erforschung ermöglicht uns einen Blick zurück in unsere kosmische Vergangenheit. Aber nicht nur das: Ryugu gehört zu einer häufig vorkommenden Klasse von erdnahen Asteroiden. Diese stellen eine potentielle Bedrohung für die Menschheit dar, die es zu untersuchen und zu reduzieren gilt. #AsteroidLanding Details: http://www.dlr.de/mascot Updates: https://twitter.com/MASCOT2018 Download der Mascot/Hayabusa2-Animationen in 4K/UHD von unserem Vimeo-Kanal: https://vimeo.com/album/5104849

JAXA's Hayabusa2 spacecraft flew by Earth on Dec. 3rd, 2015 to pick up momentum for its asteroid Ryugu sample return mission. At nearest approach it was about 1864 miles (3000km) above the Pacific Ocean. It's scheduled to reach its target in 2018 and return a sample to Earth in 2020. -- Watch the Hayabusa2 launch and learn more about the mission: http://goo.gl/0wALDm Credit: JAXA

ENGLISH In 2014, the Japanese Hayabusa-2 spacecraft will be launched en route to asteroid 1999 JU3. On board will be a very special passenger - the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout, better known as MASCOT. After a four-year journey, the spacecraft will reach the asteroid in 2018, and for the first time take measurements on the surface of an asteroid. A release mechanism will eject MASCOT from the spacecraft, setting it on its way to complete the last few metres to the asteroid. This brief but crucial momen Institute of Space Systems http://www.dlr.de/irs/en DEUTSCH 2014 startet die japanische Sonde Hayabusa-2 zum Asteroiden 1999 JU3 und hat den Asteroidenlander MASCOT (Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout) mit an Bord. Nach einer fünfjährigen Reise soll die Sonde 2018 den Asteroiden erreichen und erstmals Messungen auf einer Asteroidenoberfläche durchführen. Ein Auslösemechanismus wird MASCOT mit einem leichten Stoß von der Sonde abtrennen, dann legt MASACOT die letzten Meter zum Asteroiden eigenständig zurück. Dieser kurze, aber entscheidende Moment wird im Bremer Fallturm getestet. Hier wird MASCOT für 4,7 Sekunden in den Zustand der Schwerlosigkeit versetzt -- und das mit einigem Aufwand! Mehr im DLR-Spaceblog http://www.dlr.de/blogs/DesktopDefault.aspx/tabid-7023/11643_read-635/ DLR-Institut für Raumfahrtsysteme http://www.dlr.de/irs/