Asteroid Missions
Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 7:33 am
In September, JAXA (Japan's space agency) landed two small rovers on an asteroid. They don't have wheels; the asteroid's gravity is low enough that hopping around on the surface is a good way to go about. They're making nice discoveries about it, and are supposed to continue to do so for about a year and a half, culminating in a sample return to Earth.
Wikipedia entry here
And of course, the probes are neither female nor giant mecha. The last thing I want to do is to give in to any stereotypes.
By the way, the U.S.A. wants to ram something into an asteroid.
But it's not just for fun; it's a test of asteroid redirection. Better to know how and not need to than to need to and not know how. I mean, the dinosaurs at least had an excuse of not having opposable thumbs.
Wikipedia entry here
And of course, the probes are neither female nor giant mecha. The last thing I want to do is to give in to any stereotypes.
By the way, the U.S.A. wants to ram something into an asteroid.
But it's not just for fun; it's a test of asteroid redirection. Better to know how and not need to than to need to and not know how. I mean, the dinosaurs at least had an excuse of not having opposable thumbs.