At the end of this year, Japan will send a space probe Hayabusa-2 to asteroid 1999 JU3, which will land on it. Journey to the cosmic body will last about four years and in 2018 spacecraft Hayabusa-2 will reach your goal will take samples from the surface of the asteroid and then deliver them to the Earth.
Space probe, called Hayabusa-2, as is the second spacecraft of this type. The first Hayabusa successfully launched into space in May 2009. His goal was the sampling of asteroid Itokawa. The launch took place from Spaceport Japanese using Japanese launcher Mu-5.
Asteroid 1999 JU3 is quite large - diameter slightly less than one kilometer. Samples will be taken using a device measuring about 30 centimeters called Impactor. Impactor is fired from the spacecraft and the collision with the surface explodes. Formed crater with a depth of about one meter, which will be sampled from the interior of the asteroid that are not irradiated by the sun.
Hayabusa 2 has two automated method for sampling. The first asteroid with special firing projectiles for dust to be collected by the robotic device. In the second method descends containing silicone material into the crater to collect additional samples. The main objective of this mission is to study the early evolution of the solar system.
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