TOKYO (JAXA PR) — The capsule onboard the asteroid explorer Hayabusa2 re-entered the atmosphere at around 2:28 JST on December 6, 2020. After that, as a result of searching the capsule body with a helicopter, it was found in Woomera Prohibited Area in Australia at 4:47 JST on December 6, 2020. The capsule collection work is scheduled to be carried out on the morning of December 6, 2020 Japan time. […]
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“Woomera”
TOKYO (JAXA PR) — On August 10, 2020, JAXA was informed that the Authorisation of Return of Overseas-Launched Space Object (AROLSO) for the re-entry capsule from Hayabusa2 was issued by the Australian Government. The date of the issuance is August 6, 2020. The Hayabusa2 re-entry capsule will return to Earth in South Australia on December 6, 2020 (Japan Time and Australian Time). The landing site will be the Woomera Prohibited […]
TOKYO (JAXA PR) — This report concerns the current status of the return and recovery plan of the Hayabusa2 sample return capsule.
At the end of 2020, Hayabusa2 plans to return to the Earth with the samples collected from asteroid Ryugu. As with the recovery of the first Hayabusa in 2010, JAXA is currently working with the Australian Government to support the recovery of the Hayabusa2 re-entry capsule in 2020 at the Woomera Prohibited Area (WPA) located in the outback desert of South Australia.
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Falcon 9 carries the Dragon cargo ship into orbit. (Credit: NASA TV)
by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor
SpaceX had a banner year in 2017, launching a record 18 times and helping to propel the United States to the top of the global launch table with a perfect 29-0 record. The U.S. total made up 32.2 percent of 90 orbital launches worldwide, which was an increase over the 85 flights conducted in 2016.
The 29 American launches were a leap of seven over the 22 flights conducted the previous year. This is the highest number of American orbital launches since the 31 flights undertaken in 1999. However, that year the nation’s launch providers suffered four failures whereas they were perfect in 2017.
The New Shepard capsule separates from its booster as the abort motor fires. (Credit: Blue Origin)
Although orbital launch vehicles get all the glory (and infamy when they fail), 2016 was also a busy year for the far less glamorous suborbital launch sector. There were 19 suborbital launches at various sites around the world, and two more sounding rocket launches of note where the payload didn’t go above 100 km.
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HiFire scramjet vehicle
New materials designed to deal with hypersonic and supersonic hot stuff
Physorg.com
Previous Australian experimental flight tests of scramjets, a type of very fast jet engine, have not lasted longer than five seconds….
However, further experimental tests are planned in 2011 through to 2013 in the HiFIRE series at Woomera using free-flying engines and eventually, a whole free-flying vehicle which will generate enough thrust to fly for a minute.
Outback rocket launch program set to lift off
AdelaideNow.com.au
Defence scientists are keeping hush over experimental rocket launches to take place in the state’s Outback in the next two weeks.
The South Australian Tourism Commission is “cautiously optimistic” about Virgin Galactic flying space tourism vehicles from Woomera. The London-based company is considering a spaceport in Australia at some point in the future. The Wimmera Mail-Times reports that Mrs. Amanda Wilson of Horsham, South Australia wants to invite Virgin Galactic boss Richard Branson to her town as part of a bid to locate a spaceport there. The paper really doesn’t explain […]