TopicsHayabusa2 Provisional Mission Schedule

Hayabusa2 mission schedule: provisional version (as of June 7, 2018).

The current schedule for Hayabusa2 is shown below. The dates here are all provisional (unless marked "finished") as operation timings are very susceptible to change due to a wide range of factors, including our knowledge about Ryugu expanding as we approach the asteroid.

We will update the table below whenever changes are made.

Year Month, date Event Status
2018January 10Third stage of ion engine operation begins.
(Hayabusa2 will use its ion engine to make adjustments to its course)
Complete
June 3Ion engine operation ends.Complete
June 3Start of asteroid approach. (distance: 3,100 km) Complete
June 27 Arrival at asteroid Ryugu (altitude 20 km).Planning
End of JulyMedium altitude observations of Ryugu #1 (altitude 5 km).Planning
August Decent to measure gravity of Ryugu (altitude 1 km).Planning
September - October Period for touchdown operation #1
(First landing to gather a sample.)
Planning
September - October Period for rover deployment #1
(One or more MINERVA-II rovers and/or the MASCOT lander may be released to the asteroid surface at this time.)
Planning
November - DecemberOperation during solar conjunction
(Communications are disabled during this period, as the Sun is between the Earth and Hayabusa2.)
Planning
2019January Medium altitude observations of Ryugu #2 (altitude 5 km).Planning
FebruaryPeriod for touchdown operation #2 Planning
March - AprilCrater generation operation
(Hayabusa2 will drop the explosive small carry-on impactor (SCI) to generate a crater in order to gather subsurface material)
Planning
April - MayPeriod for touchdown operation #3Planning
July Period for rover deployment #2
(Remaining MINERVA-II rovers will be released onto the asteroid surface)
Planning
August - NovemberHayabusa2 remains near the asteroid Planning
November - DecemberDeparture from asteroidPlanning

Hayabusa2 project
June 7, 2018