Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.online
Jul 5, 2026, 2:59 AMUpdate from the Hayabusa2# team over on the bad place:
09:54 JST and optical navigation has begun. All is well.
Replies
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 3:07 AM
OK... HOW CLOSE ARE WE REALLY TALKING FOR THIS ASTEROID FLYBY? 🛰️👀🪨 Today at ~18:30 JST, Hayabusa2 will attempt a flyby exploration of asteroid Torifune. This web app by Otsuka Minoru let's you try the flyby at different distances... including... 0m.
https://o-tsuka.net/haya2flyby/
(WHY WOULD YOU DO 0m?! WHY DO I KEEP CLICKING ON THAT OPTION?!)
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 3:25 AM
If you'd like to follow the Hayabusa2# flyby of asteroid Torifune today in real time 🛰️🔭, Otsuka Minoru also put together a real-time version of his flyby web app!
He notes that nothing will appear on the screen until a few minutes before the flyby just before 18:30 JST (because... that's a flyby...) but he flips the camera angles to keep us entertained.
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 4:44 AM
At 12:40 JST, the team confirmed that the onboard trajectory guidance calculation has begun. All is well.
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 6:28 AM
At 15:00 JST, the final ΔV (trajectory change) operation was performed from the ground. We are still nominal 🫡
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 9:10 AM
At 17:37 JST on July 5, ground control confirmed that the onboard trajectory guidance had commenced. The spacecraft condition is normal.
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 9:25 AM
NOBODY BREATH!
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 10:03 AM
Hayabusa2 has performed the Torifune flyby, and on July 5 at 18:35 JST, ground control confirmed that the spacecraft is operating normally.
Thomas Sturmtsturm@famichiki.jpJul 5, 2026, 3:36 AM@elizabethtasker 110,000 kilometers to go!
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 3:38 AM
@tsturm OH YES, the app tells you! That is cool.
Ford Prefectford____prefect@mastodon.socialJul 5, 2026, 5:12 AM@elizabethtasker thank you, this is appreciated!
Would not sign „All is well“, though…
Stevanwithaveeay@mastodon.scotJul 5, 2026, 9:32 AM@elizabethtasker Some top quality, scientifically rigorous hanging around on the youtube feed!
- Stevanwithaveeay@mastodon.scotJul 5, 2026, 9:37 AM
@elizabethtasker Everyone's applauding. Either someone got a high score in Chucky Egg or the flyby has worked.
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 9:47 AM
@withaveeay could be either, they’re pretty geeky.
- Stevanwithaveeay@mastodon.scotJul 5, 2026, 9:50 AM
InfoseepageInfoseepage@mastodon.socialJul 5, 2026, 10:01 AM@withaveeay @elizabethtasker What really goes on in mission control... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t4Fy6AUMv8E
- Thomas Sturmtsturm@famichiki.jpJul 5, 2026, 10:53 AM
@elizabethtasker Do we know how close the flyby was? I don’t know if there would be any instrument on board to provide actual measurements at these speeds.
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 10:57 AM
@tsturm The plan was 800m from the asteroid centre. I don't think that will have changed, so I believe the main uncertainty will be the shape of Torifune, which will determine the distance from the surface.
- Elizabeth Taskerelizabethtasker@mastodon.onlineJul 5, 2026, 10:57 AM
@tsturm I think LIDAR was going to be attempted, but they'll have to download all the data.
- Thomas Sturmtsturm@famichiki.jpJul 5, 2026, 11:11 AM
@elizabethtasker It’s probably another peanut-shaped thing… the solar system’s planets must have come in a giant box and we now find those packing peanuts all over the place. 😅