I have seen the real asteroid explorer "Hayabusa" at JAXA

At the Sagamihara campus of JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), basic research and development of rockets and artificial satellites, and technical research are being carried out. At the same time, as the name of "Campus", it is a place of education as a university's interactive institution, and it is also used as a base for space science research by accepting researchers from all over the world.

At the Sagamihara campus research and management buildingMovie "Hayabusa / HAYABUSA" Production PresentationAlthough it was done, as it was visible in a glance, the real asteroid explorer Hayabusa (Thermal and structural test model) is exhibited.

Hayabusa, which became a hot topic in Japan in 2010, what kind of figure it looks in the near future, details are from the following.
The location of JAXA Sagamihara Campus is Coco, Kanagawa Prefecture Sagamihara City Chuo Ward. It is opposite the Sagamihara municipal museum.

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It is said that the facility name is "Space Science Institute" of "National Aerospace Exploration Agency of Japan". It seems to come out in science fiction movies ....



A variety of research buildings are lined up on the premises.


This is the research and management building.


Suddenly on the first floorHayabusaWe will meet you.


For a moment, I do not know something after all while being deca.


As seen from the side where the pattern of the solar cell can be seen (upper side of the fuselage) it looks like it.





What is this something is a real-size "Hayabusa" thermal / structural test model. It is a model made for that though it makes various tests beforehand because it is not possible to make the actual machine just by calculation and suddenly put out to the universe.


It is because we have checked firmly using these models, although Hayabusa was hit by various troubles, maybe we could have returned safely.


Ion engine that produces thrust. What was installed in HayabusaΜ 10Operation exceeding the designed life (14,000 hours) was carried out with the engine named.



In the original plan, we are planning to shoot bullets from this tip and catch the Itokawa fragments, and as a resultBullet shot from here was failingYes, but as a result I went back to the earth via twists and turns.



The optical navigation camera consists of three cameras and two circuits.


Wide angle optical navigation camera ONC - W 1


Wataki Optical Navigation Camera ONC-T


Hayabusa was by my sideEngineering Experiment Exploration Machine.


Launched in 1990, we conducted the swing-by experiment of the moon and the aerobrake experiment of the earth atmosphere. The operation stopped in 1993, the last was planned to end by colliding with crater of the moon.




This is a lunar picture just before the collision.


This is M - V Rocket No.5 (launched by Hayabusa) (1/10 model of).



From this rocket, Hayabusa was separated like this.


There is a counselor on the first floor and it seems to answer questions about space technology. By the way, Megumizawa Megumi who plays Mr. Yuko Takeuchi in the film is doing counselor. At this time as well, there was someone in the counselor's seat ... ... I thought it was director Tsutsumi Yukihiko. It seems that she was preparing for the shooting after this.


As expected there is no director of Tsutsumi, but you can see exhibits such as Hayabusa at the Sagamihara campus. The opening hours are 9: 45 - 17: 30, all year round.

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