Japan successfully launches 'asteroid explorer' Hayabusa 2

Hayabusa 2Tokyo, Dec 04 : Japan has successfully launched its " asteroid explorer" Hayabusa 2 on December 3, 2014, it has been reported.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 26 (H-IIA F26) with the Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa2 onboard from the Tanegashima Space Center.

With a launch success rate for H-IIA/B launch vehicles at 96.7%, this launch confirms the quality and reliability of the H-IIA/B.

Following this, JAXA received signals from the Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa2 at the NASA Goldstone Deep Space Communication Complex (in California) and confirmed that its initial sequence of operations including the solar array paddle deployment and sun acquisition control have been performed normally.

The Asteroid Explorer Hayabusa2 is a successor to the Hayabusa, which verified various new exploration technologies and returned to Earth in June 2010. The Hayabusa 2 is setting out on a journey to clarify the origin and evolution of the solar system as well as the origin of life. (ANI)