On May 9, 2003, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched Hayabusa, its mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa. The journey was a demonstration of new technology engineered for returning samples from asteroids: ion engines, autonomous navigation, an asteroid sampler, and a reentry capsule. After a gravity assist from Earth, Hayabusa arrived at Itokawa in SeptemberContinue reading "May 9, 2003: Hayabusa launches" The post May 9, 2003: Hayabusa launches appeared first on Astronomy Magazine...