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Hayabusa Probe Arrives at Destination
david.given writes "The Japanese space probe Hayabusa has just arrived at its destination, the asteroid Itokawa, and is taking pictures. The largely autonomous ion-drive powered vehicle was launched in 2003 and was supposed to have arrived last year, but a solar flare damaged the solar panels causing a reduction in power. It will study the asteroid for two months before collecting a sample from the surface and departing for Earth, which it should reach in 2007. It's a pity that NASA's asteroid rover, which Hayabusa was going to drop off, got cancelled due to budgetry constraints..."
Will it use the magical firewheel of protection, or be followed by a hazy clone of itself that mimics its actions?
/ryu hayabusa... ninja gaiden. ding.
I am scientifically inaccurate.
"A solar flare damaged the solar panels causing a reduction in power."
Ah, powered by irony. Those Japanese are always on the cutting edge.
TLoM: Nerds + DDR + Rednecks for the win!
But I think he went for the "+5, sympathy" vote. If you met a post like that in the street, you'd smile encouragingly and pat it on the head, inwardly glad that all your own posts had grown up healthy.
"The Japanese space probe Hayabusa has just arrived at its destination, the asteroid Itokawa, and is taking pictures." Will the Japanese tourist stereotypes never end?