Japan Considering Hayabusa-2 Probe Funding

Japan's space scientists are now gaining political and funding support for a new asteroid mission named Hayabusa-2 as a follow on to the now completed return of the Hayabusa space capsule likely to contain asteroid materials brought back to Earth for the first time, according to Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan [Time].

By improving the Hayabusa probe, JAXA is planning to visit a NEO whose orbit is similar to that of Itokawa, and aiming sample-return from an asteroid of different type from Itokawa. The target body of Hayabusa-2 is a C-type asteroid, considered to contain more organic or hydrated materials than S-type asteroids like Itokawa. What types of organic materials exist in the solar system, and is there any relation to life on Earth. No date has been set for the new mission.

The Japanese also were considering participation in an asteroid mission proposed by the European Space Agency called Marco Polo. The down select by European scientists and mission planners dropped the proposed mission from the ESA/JAXA mission portfolio in January 2010.