A Postcard From the Beginning of Time Third Time Lucky As Probe Lands on Far-Flung Asteroid and Takes Samples From Surface

By Rachelle Money

A JAPANESE space probe made history yesterday when it landed on the surface of an asteroid and successfully collected rock samples that could provide clues to the origin of the solar system.

The probe called Hayabusa, meaning “falcon”, had suffered two previous failed attempts at landing on the asteroid Itokawa, which is approximately 190 million miles (300m km) from the Earth.

Hayabusa fired a 5g metal pellet towards the surface of the 548- metre long asteroid at a speed of 670mph. The material that was “kicked up” by the pellet was then collected in its sample chamber.

Scientists from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( Jaxa) likened the GBP93m (dollars-170m) mission to landing a jumbo jet in a moving Grand Canyon.

The mission also launched a minilander called Minerva which “hopped” across the asteroid taking pictures.

Hayabusa has already sent back detailed images of the asteroid, named after pioneering Japanese rocket scientist Hideo Itokawa.

Asteroids provide vital clues to understanding the universe as they have remained largely unchanged, unlike planets, since the Big Bang. These “postcards from the beginning of time” offer scientists valuable data on how the solar system was formed 4500m years ago.

Scientists also believe information about the asteroid’s structure could prove helpful if a similar object was found to be on a collision course with Earth.

Jaxa chose this particular heavenly body because it is thought to be a rare S-type asteroid, meaning that it is particularly rocky and populates the inner solar system. Only 17-per cent of asteroids are thought to be S-type.

The probe, launched in May 2003, has been blighted by problems. Jaxa scientists said Friday’s attempt would be the last as fuel was running low.

Last Sunday the probe made its first touchdown but failed to collect any material. Another attempt to land a miniature robot on the rotating potatoshaped asteroid was also unsuccessful.

Kiyotaka Yashiro, a spokesman for Jaxa, said: “The Hayabusa probe touched down for only a few seconds on the faraway asteroid – long enough to collect powder from its surface – and has lifted off again to transmit data to mission controllers. It is only a very small amount of material, powder really.

“The initial movements and operations look very good. The process of sampling also seems to have gone very well, ” he added.

The probe’s sample collection will be sent back to Earth and it is due to land in the Australian outback in June 2007.

As Japan’s space agency made history, the nation’s Science and Technology minister, Iwao Matsuda, congratulated those involved on their work.

In a statement he said: “I am delighted to hear that it [the probe]has collected the samples. It is the world’s first such feat and it will contribute greatly to mankind’s exploration of space.”

The Hayabusa probe has also been testing a new type of ion engine that uses an electric field to accelerate positive ions to a high velocity. The probe used the Earth’s gravitational pull to propell it towards the asteroid. Jaxa hopes the ion engine will allow it to expand its space plan, increasing both the number of missions it carries out and the distance it travels into space.

Earlier this year the Japanese space agency announced plans to send its first astronauts into space and set up a base on the moon by 2025.

In 2001, Nasa successfully landed a probe on an asteroid called Eros and collected surface data but was unable to take any physical samples.