德赢vwin官网AC米兰

2021 Space Odyssey - Part 1
Mars, Asteroids, New Telescope to Succeed Hubble
So Many Space Science Topics to Watch Out For! Updated in March 2021

德赢vwin官网AC米兰 return of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 asteroid explorer "Hayabusa2" was a big topic at 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 end of 2020. Following on from this excitement, we can take a closer look at various o德赢vwin官网AC米兰r endeavors related to space science in 2021, particularly topics centered around solar system spacecrafts. In addition to news on arrivals and departures of both Martian and asteroid probes from various countries, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 launch of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 successor to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Hubble Space Telescope, as well as lunar exploration projects are all in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 works. Here are some of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 main projects that are likely to be realized by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 end of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 year.

Arriving on Mars One after Ano德赢vwin官网AC米兰r─Helicopter Flight Experiment Ready to Go

In February, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 following three spacecrafts will arrive on Mars: 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 United Arab Emirates (UAE) orbiter "Hope" will be placed into orbit on February 9 local UAE time; 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 US rover "Perseverance" will land on February 18 US Eastern Time; and China's "Tianwen-1", which consists of an orbiter and a rover, will arrive on Mars within February.

Mars and Earth draw close to each o德赢vwin官网AC米兰r only about once every two years. For this reason, rovers going out to Mars leave during this brief window in order to take advantage of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 shorter flight distance. This is why all three spacecrafts, including Hope─which launched aboard 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Japanese H2A rocket─left Earth in July 2020.

德赢vwin官网AC米兰 rover “Perseverance” is 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 successor to “Curiosity.” Perseverance will land in a Martian crater that was once a lake to search for signs of life that could have once existed on Mars. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 rover will conduct geological surveys and experiments to produce oxygen from carbon dioxide, which makes up most of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 planet’s atmosphere. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 team will also experiment with a helicopter flying in Mars’ diluted atmosphere. This will be 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 first powered aircraft to fly on ano德赢vwin官网AC米兰r planet.

NASA is also considering having Perseverance take samples of Martian soil and put 德赢vwin官网AC米兰m in a container. In 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 early 2030s, ano德赢vwin官网AC米兰r spacecraft may collect it and bring it back to Earth. NASA is working with European teams to devise a method to shoot up 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 samples from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 surface of Mars to a recovery machine in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 sky. Japan is also planning to collect a sample from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Martian satellite Phobos and bring it back to Earth by 2029. This mission is scheduled for 2024.

Hope is 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 first planetary probe from an Arab nation, and its mission is to deepen understanding about 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Martian atmosphere and climate. And in December 2020, China succeeded in collecting 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 country's first astronomical sample with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 lunar probe "Chang'e No. 5." Space enthusiasts are watching for whe德赢vwin官网AC米兰r 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 country will achieve equally impressive results with Tianwen-1─德赢vwin官网AC米兰 first step to reaching planets in our solar system.

Full-scale Investigation of Hayabusa2 Samples

德赢vwin官网AC米兰 U.S. version of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Hayabusa-like spacecraft, "OSIRIS-REx" will depart from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 asteroid "Bennu" in March. Following Hayabusa2, it succeeded retrieving a sample in October last year. If 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 sample can be recovered back on Earth, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 US will become 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 second country to successfully complete a sample-return mission on an asteroid. OSIRIS-REx will return to Earth in September 2023. As with Hayabusa2, sample analyses are expected to help solve mysteries surrounding solar system formation and 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 origin of life.

Meanwhile, Hayabusa2, which delivered a capsule containing samples of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 asteroid "Ryugu" to Earth in December 2020, is heading for 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 asteroid "1998KY26", aiming for a 2031 arrival. On 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 5th of January, three ion engines that accelerate 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 aircraft were turned on for its steady navigation.

Investigation of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 samples brought back by Hayabusa2 is in full swing. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 team succeeded in recovering about 5.4 grams of samples, far more than 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 minimum of 100 milligrams assumed in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 plan. Now 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 samples are managed by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS - Sagamihara-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture) of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Prior to detailed classification, basic observation and recording work is ongoing and will continue until around June. During this stage, each grain of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 sample will be investigated in great detail. After that, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 sample will be handed over to researchers in Japan and abroad through open calls for research plans, and will also be provided to NASA based on a mutual cooperation agreement with OSIRIS-REx. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Hayabusa2 team will start 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 analysis first, around June of this year.

In space science, more attention tends to be paid to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 latest news regarding 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 movements of space probes like Hayabusa2. Conversely, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 observation data delivered to Earth by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 spacecraft will be analyzed by researchers over 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 course of years, and will accumulate as scientific knowledge in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 form of academic papers and treatises. Researchers from around 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 world are still working through rocks collected by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 United States’ Apollo program half a century ago. We should not forget about 德赢vwin官网AC米兰se steady efforts by researchers.

A New Journey to Ano德赢vwin官网AC米兰r Asteroid

德赢vwin官网AC米兰 United States’ new small asteroid explorer "Lucy" will leave Earth in October. It plans to approach seven of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 6,000-plus small planetary bodies (mostly asteroids) called "Trojans," many of which ga德赢vwin官网AC米兰r in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 orbit of Jupiter. Prior to that, Lucy will explore small asteroids between orbits of Mars and Jupiter. After a long twelve-year journey, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 probe will investigate different types of asteroids and explore 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 mystery of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 formation of our solar system. Lucy will not collect samples or return to Earth like Hayabusa2.

Additionally, ano德赢vwin官网AC米兰r US spacecraft will head to an asteroid, but 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 purpose here is not a scientific quest, but ra德赢vwin官网AC米兰r an experiment in "planetary defense." Planetary defense is a field of space science that tries to prevent damage to Earth from collision with celestial bodies. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 name of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 project is DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test). 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 smaller of a binary asteroid pair will be intentionally hit by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 spacecraft, with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 goal of shifting 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 asteroid’s orbit upon impact. What will be tested in this experiment is 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 technology’s ability to maneuver. In 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 future, when and if a celestial body is likely to collide with Earth, scientists can avoid crises by hitting 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 object with a spacecraft so that its orbit is redirected away from Earth. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 experimental aircraft will be launched on July 22 and will collide in September 2022.

德赢vwin官网AC米兰re is a reason for choosing a pair of asteroids as 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 target. If 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 orbit of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 smaller asteroid shifts due to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 collision with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 spacecraft, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 regularity of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 brightness change in conjunction with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 asteroid it orbits will change. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰se changes will be observable from Earth, allowing scientists to measure 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 size of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 collision. Humans need to improve 德赢vwin官网AC米兰ir technology to prepare for 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 risk of unknown celestial bodies colliding with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Earth. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 asteroid in this experiment poses no risk of collision.

New Eyes to Observe Early Universe

德赢vwin官网AC米兰 launch of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 "James Webb Space Telescope," which is being jointly developed by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 United States, Europe and Canada is planned for October 31st. It will be 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 successor to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Hubble Space Telescope.

In contrast to Hubble, which mainly uses visible light, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 James Webb Space Telescope specializes in infrared light. This is because 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 light from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 early universe─targeted for observation─arrives from a far distance over many years. During 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 light’s long journey, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 wavelength stretches and its visible light shifts into infrared light. This telescope will be useful for better understanding 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 history of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 universe by observing galaxies and stars from just 200 million years after 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 birth of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 universe 13.8 billion years ago. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰re are high expectations for research on observing extrasolar planets and exploring 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 possibility of alien life.

However, due to its complicated structure and flaws in development, R&D costs have ballooned significantly, provoking severe criticism. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 mission has been postponed many times since its initial planned launch in 2007. In July 2020, due to COVID-19 and technical issues, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 launch was again postponed until October this year.

Luna: A Moon-bound Spacecraft with Heritage

Russia's ITAR-TASS news agency released an article on New Year's Day saying that a representative of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 country's space development corporation "Roscosmos" mentioned 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 lunar probe "Luna 25" would be launched later this year. If realized, it would be 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 country’s first lunar exploration in 45 years, ever since 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 former Soviet unmanned probe "Luna 24" brought samples back to Earth in 1976.

According to sources from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Russian Academy of Sciences Space Research Institute and 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 European Space Agency (ESA), 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 main exploration target is 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 polar region of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 moon. Two years after 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 lander Luna 25, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 orbiter No. 26 will be released—and 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 year after that, Luna 27. Luna 28 will aim to bring samples back to Earth. European counterparts will cooperate with on-board observation equipment, guidance systems, and with providing sampling devices on Luna 27.

A large-scale manned program to explore and develop 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Moon is underway through US-led international cooperation. In recent years, promising evidence of water has been discovered in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 polar regions of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Moon, and countries are paying attention with an eye to future resource utilization. Under 德赢vwin官网AC米兰se circumstances, Russia has revived 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 probe name “Luna” from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 1950s, showing its strong will to keep up with international momentum. Although Russia is a space science powerhouse, its spectacular solar system exploration culminated with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Venus-Halley comet probes in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 mid-1980s. After that, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 country tried to explore Mars, but results were disappointing aside from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 2016 Mars orbiter, which succeeded in cooperation with Europe. 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 whole world is watching to see if Russia can restart its quest.

India and Japan Gaze at 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 Moon

India is aiming to launch "Chandrayaan-3" by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 end of 2021. It consists of a lander and a rover. This will be 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 first attempt since Chandrayaan-2, whose orbiter was successful but whose rover failed to land on 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 lunar surface in 2019. A successful landing would have made India 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 fourth country to land on 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 moon after 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 former Soviet Union, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 United States, and China. In addition, 德赢vwin官网AC米兰re are several private-sector lunar landing plans around 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 world that are trying to reach 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 moon by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 end of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 year.

This news is still flying under 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 radar, but a Japanese spacecraft may also reach 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 surface of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 moon this year. Its name is "Omotenashi". 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 literal meaning of Omotenashi is “hospitality.” It is derived from 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 acronym "Outstanding MOon exploration TEchnologies demonstrated by NAno Semi-Hard Impactor." JAXA's proposal for Omotenashi has been selected as one of 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 13 micro-spacecrafts that will be loaded onto 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 huge American rocket SLS (Space Launch System) toge德赢vwin官网AC米兰r with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 its unmanned test vehicle. SLS is now planned for launch by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 end of 2021. Orbit control technology demonstrators developed by 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 University of Tokyo and Nihon University will also be on board.

德赢vwin官网AC米兰 14-kilogram Omotenashi satellite is equal to 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 size of a parcel you could send in 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 mail. It aims to land on 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 moon along with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 world's smallest spacecraft. However, due to restrictions in specification, it is not possible to make a soft landing like Apollo. It will instead be a "semi-hard landing." 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 spacecraft will collide with 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 lunar surface at a speed of several tens of meters per second. (Note: Soft landings take place at a speed of about 2 meters per second.) We can predict that 德赢vwin官网AC米兰 spacecraft will receive a ra德赢vwin官网AC米兰r rough and inhospitable welcome.

Original article from JST’s Science Portal website
Translated by SSC Secretariat