Ryugu particles found outside the Hayabusa2 sample container

DOI Web Site 52 References Open Access
  • Nakato Aiko
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Inada Shiori
    Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo
  • Furuya Shizuho
    UTokyo Organization for Planetary and Space Science (UTOPS), The University of Tokyo
  • Nishimura Masahiro
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Yada Toru
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Abe Masanao
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Usui Tomohiro
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Yoshida Hideto
    School of Science, The University of Tokyo
  • Mikouchi Takashi
    University Museum, The University of Tokyo
  • Sakamoto Kanako
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Yano Hajime
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Miura Yayoi N.
    Earthquake Research Institute (ERI), The University of Tokyo
  • Takano Yoshinori
    Biogeochemistry Research Center (BGC), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
  • Yamanouchi Shinji
    Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Kyushu University
  • Okazaki Ryuji
    Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Kyushu University
  • Sawada Hirotaka
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
  • Tachibana Shogo
    Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo UTokyo Organization for Planetary and Space Science (UTOPS), The University of Tokyo

Description

<p>The Hayabusa2 spacecraft explored C-type near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu and returned asteroidal materials, collected during two touchdown operations, to the Earth as the first sample from carbonaceous-type asteroid. The sample container, in which ~5 g of Ryugu sample was enclosed, was safely opened in the clean chamber system with no severe exposure to the terrestrial atmosphere. In the course of preparation operation of the sample container, two dark-colored millimeter- to sub-millimeter-sized particles were found outside the sealing part of the sample container. Because they look similar to the Ryugu particles inside the sample container, the particles were named as Q particles (Q from questionable). In this study, we investigated Q particles (Q001 and Q002) mineralogically and petrographically to compare them with potential contaminants (the ablator material of the reentry capsule and fine sand particles at the capsule landing site), Ryugu sample, and CI chondrites. The Q particles show close resemblance to Ryugu sample and CI chondrites, but have no evidence of terrestrial weathering that CI chondrites experienced. We therefore conclude that the Q particles are originated from Ryugu and were expelled from the sample catcher (sample storage canister) in space prior to the enclosure operation of the sample catcher in the sample container. The most likely scenario is that the Q particles escaped from the sample catcher during the retrieval of the sample collection reflector, which was the necessary operation for the sample container closing.</p>

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