Target in Sight!

[beamjockey]

Japan's ion-powered Hayabusa spacecraft is acquiring opnav images of asteroid 25143 Itokawa with its star tracker. Rendezvous next month.

Comments

[von-krag.livejournal.com]

Hayabusa is also the name of the hottist Suzuki mortorcycle. I've been told it'll go over 150mph, what do you think it'll do w/a few ion rockets straped to it?

[(Anonymous)]

Might not beat out a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa. An "Oscar" could do 300 mph at altitude.

Hayabusa means "diving falcon," a pretty good name for a fighter, or a spacecraft, or even a motorcycle.

[theengineer.livejournal.com]

I've been told it'll go over 150mph, what do you think it'll do w/a few ion rockets straped to it?


It'll do 150 mph + 0.00001 mph (or so). Ion thrusters are very low power but are very efficient. You have to run them for a long time but ultimately you get more bang (thrust) out of them then you would for a conventional rocket of the same weight.

[wcg.livejournal.com]

Yee haw!