Asteroid Explorer "HAYABUSA" (MUSES-C)
HAYABUSA’s mission is to bring back samples from Asteroid "Itokawa" and investigate the mysteries of the birth of the solar system.
It was launched on May 9, 2003, and returned to the earth on June 13, 2010 and completed operations by dropping its on-board capsule over Australia.
The particles that HAYABUSA brought back from "Itokawa" to the Earth are analyzing by the research teams.
Approx. 100 Japanese companies engaged in the development and the operation of HAYABUSA.
