A quartz manipulator probes a possible fleck from an asteroid returned to Earth by Japan's Hayabusa spacecraft. Credit: JAXA
Particles have been detected inside the Hayabusa sample container, a process which began on June 24 at the Sagamiharashi campus’ curation center near Tokyo.
However, it is still unknown whether the particles belong to asteroid Itokawa or Earth, and tests will continue to identify particle properties.
According to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the sample container holds some gray particles and white ones. Scientists believe they are particles or dust that came in during the ground operations or inside the spacecraft, though they are going to analyze the particles carefully – comparing the particles with ground dust samples.
In related work, a minute particle has been found in the sample catcher – a particle that has been picked up by a quartz manipulator tool utilized by curation specialists.
Two particles of about 10 micrometers in size have been found on a surface portion in sample catcher Chamber A, which was used in the second touch-down of the asteroid Itokawa. Scientists are continuing their survey of Chamber A, followed by the survey of Chamber B.
Trevor Ireland, Associate Director for Earth Chemistry at the Australian National University in Canberra — and involved with the asteroid dust retrieval effort – is excited about the possible recovery of asteroid material.
“Hayabusa has come a long way and represents a major achievement by JAXA to return a sample return capsule from the asteroid to Earth. It’s very encouraging that the chamber does not look contaminated and there’s a good prospect of isolating asteroid grains. I’m certainly looking forward to all that these grains can tell us about asteroid Itokawa,” Ireland says.
Hayabusa returned its sample container to Earth last month. The spacecraft completed a seven year journey to study and collect samples of asteroid Itokawa.
By Leonard David