Quote:
Originally Posted by Platapus
Does this mean that the two rovers will leave the asteroid and return to earth? That is way cool
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No. Rover1A and B, MASCOT and Rover 2 (Hayabusa 2 carries 4 rovers/landers) will all be left on the rock. Hayabusa 2 itself will land on the rock after they shoot a 2.5kg copper 'bullet' at the surface to expose the subsurface material, this will be recorded by a deployable camera Hayabusa 2 leaves behind before 'heading for cover'.
Hayabusa 2 will then gather samples and head off to Earth.
Hayabusa 2 is currently making it's second descend towards Ryugu to deploy the MASCOT lander (expected tomorro or on Thursday).
Navigation images from Hayabusa 2 are added here every 30-ish minutes:
http://www.hayabusa2.jaxa.jp/en/gall...c/nav20181002/
Photo of the surface of the asteroid taken by Hayabusa 2 from an altitude of 64m:
