Experimental Search for the HAYABUSA Re-Entry Module on the Ground by Using a Remote-Sensing Instrument onboard Formosat-2 Satellite

Abstract

HAYABUSA was the first asteroid sample return mission launched from Uchinoura, Japan in 2003. The sample capsule re-entered the Earth's atmosphere at approximately 13:50 (UT) on 2010 June 13th, and safely landed on the Woomera Prohibited Area (WPA) in Australia. The capsule had to be found and retrieved as soon as possible to reduce any contamination risk. On the morning of the June 13th and 14th, the landing area was imaged by using Remote Sensing Instrument (RSI) onboard the Formosat-2 satellite to locate the HAYABUSA re-entry module, consisting of a capsule and a parachute. In spite of an accurate geometric registration and radiance comparison of the image pair, no statistically significant radiance variation was found on the landing site. It was demonstrated through this experiment, however, that satellite imagery could be a promising backup tool for the prompt discovery and retrieval of the sampling capsule of the HAYABUSA follow-on mission if we can utilize space-borne imagers with sub-meter spatial resolution and short revisit capability.