Tatsuaki Hashimoto

MUSES-C engineering spacecraft for asteroid sample and return technologies was successfully launched on May 9th, in 2003 and was renamed as Hayabusa in orbit. The spacecraft is now in the cruising phase toward the asteroid 1998SF36. This report presents the outline of Hayabusa spacecraft. This report also describes AOCS(Attitude and Orbit Control System), which is focused on the cruising phase functions, autonomous star identification, Ion engine gimbal control, back-up attitude control mode, etc. The performance evaluated in orbit is also shown in this report.

Science satellite missions aim at space research and observation, and are carried out under close collaboration among science and engineering groups in ISAS and the external joint researchers. The science group make a plan, and are deeply involved in a satellite manufacturing and launch which are managed by the engineering group, as deserves the name of a typical bottom-up project. This paper describes the brief history, mission details and the way of research and development on the basis of several mission examples in ISAS including MUSES series. Especially, engineering technologies to support missions will be explained focusing on newly adopted technologies in each mission together with common technologies.