Maneuvering For Second Attempt To Collect Samples

After analyzing data from this weekend's attempt by the Hayabusa probe to touchdown on the surface of the asteroid Itokawa, Japanese space agency (JAXA) officials said Wednesday the probe did, in fact, touch down on the surface of the asteroid Sunday, before launching itself back into space.

JAXA, monitoring the probe's progress from over 186 million miles away, had initially stated the probe had failed to touch down on the asteroid after deploying a signature-covered touchdown target, and coming within about 56 feet of the surface -- before the agency lost contact with the probe for three stressful hours.

The agency now says the probe touched down for about 1/2 an hour while communications were blacked out, according to the Associated Press.

The probe landed within about 100 feet of the target.

While that's an extraordinary accomplishment -- NASA previously landed the NEAR Shoemaker probe on the asteroid Eros in 2001, but that probe did not liftoff from the surface -- Hayabusa did fail to collect any samples of the asteroid, whereas NEAR transmitted data back to NASA before communications were lost with the probe.

Nevertheless, JAXA Associate Executive Director Yasunori Matogawa was in good spirits. "I think we did a great job," he said.

What's more, Hayabusa has another opportunity to collect samples, as the probe is now maneuvering back towards Itokawa for a second attempt. It had traveled as far as 62 miles away from the 2,300' x 1,000' asteroid since Sunday.

Hayabusa, launched in 2003, can remain on station around Itokawa for about another two weeks before it must leave orbit for the 1 1/2 year trip back to Earth.

If all goes to plan -- and JAXA is keeping their fingers crossed, as the mission has seen a number of (relatively minor) glitches -- the probe will touchdown in the Australian Outback in June 2007.

FMI: www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html