Next Generation Small-Body Sample Return (NGSR) is a proposed space mission concept by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) aimed at returning samples from a small Solar System body such as an asteroid or comet. Its main target is the comet 289P/Blanpain, a short-period comet with an orbital period of 5.2 years. The mission is intended to build upon Japan's previous sample-return missions, including Hayabusa and Hayabusa2, which successfully returned material from near-Earth asteroids.
Objectives The primary goal of NGSR is to collect and return pristine material from a small celestial body to Earth for detailed scientific analysis. Such samples could provide insights into the early Solar System, the formation of planets, and the origins of organic compounds. Additional objectives may include in situ analysis, surface mapping, and testing new technologies for deep-space exploration.
Background Japan has been a leader in asteroid sample-return missions. The Hayabusa mission returned samples from asteroid 25143 Itokawa in 2010, while Hayabusa2 delivered material from 162173 Ryugu in 2020. NGSR is expected to incorporate advanced technologies developed from these missions, potentially enabling more complex sampling operations and access to different types of targets.
Backup targets Five additional launch windows were identified for the mission towards 289P between 2033 and 2039. Aside from 289P/Blanpain, several asteroids and comets were considered as backup targets in case the 2034 launch window were missed. These objects include comets 15P/Finlay and 252P/LINEAR, as well as the following asteroids; 2003 XM, (451124) 2009 KC3, and 2016 LX48.
See also Sample-return mission Hayabusa Hayabusa2 OSIRIS-REx
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