Hayabusa: The Artificial Meteor Launched From An Asteroid

The Hayabusa mission, led by the Japanese space agency JAXA, aimed to collect samples from the asteroid Itokawa. Despite challenges like solar flares and landing difficulties, the mission succeeded in bringing back samples that provided insights into the asteroid's composition and potential sources of Earth's water. Hayabusa's re-entry was used to study the light emitted by known materials, contributing to our understanding of meteors.

What was the primary goal of the Hayabusa mission?

• To collect samples from an asteroid

• To explore the surface of Mars

• To map the surface of the Moon

• To study the atmosphere of Venus

Which technological innovation was NOT part of the Hayabusa mission?

• Nuclear propulsion

• Autonomous navigation

• Electrical propulsion

• Ion engines

What caused the initial delay in Hayabusa's journey?

• A malfunction in the communication system

• A solar flare affecting the solar panels

• A collision with space debris

• A software glitch in the navigation system

How many attempts did it take for Hayabusa to successfully land on Itokawa?

• Four

• Three

• One

• Two

What was discovered in the samples returned by Hayabusa?

• Evidence of microbial life

• Traces of liquid water

• Porous minerals and evidence of water

• High levels of radiation

What was the purpose of Hayabusa's re-entry into Earth's atmosphere?

• To test new heat shield technology

• To deliver a payload to the International Space Station

• To create an artificial meteor for scientific study

• To safely land back on Earth

What unique observation was made during Hayabusa's re-entry?

• It landed intact in the ocean

• It produced ghost lights alongside the main fragments

• It was visible from the Moon

• It created a sonic boom