NASA Team Captures Hayabusa Spacecraft Reentry

A group of astronomers from NASA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and other organizations had a front row seat to observe the Hayabusa spacecraft's fiery plunge into Earth's atmosphere. The team flew aboard NASA's DC-8 airborne laboratory, packed with cameras and other imaging instruments, to capture the high-speed re-entry over an unpopulated area of central Australia on June 13, 2010. The Japanese spacecraft completed its seven-year, 1.25 billion mile journey to return a sample of the asteroid Itokawa.

[lazuvt]

It's a miracle that the Hayabusa made it back considering all the problems it encountered during the course of the 7 year mission. The most amazing part for me is how it completed the mission with half of the original engines operating.

[KITAKIKENTA]

はやぶさが飛行している初の実写だろうけど、
それがこの見事な散り際。
本体が燃え尽きても輝き続けるカプセルがさらに感動的だな。

[boldwarosu]

Thank you, NASA!
We Japanese appreciate for such a beautiful video.

[kuveravill]

はやぶさを綺麗に撮してくれた。それだけでうれしい。
ありがとう、NASA。

[chakun]

本当に羽を広げた不死鳥のようだった。
ありがとう、はやぶさ、そしておかえり。
俺また泣いてるよ。

[greenline]

はやぶさが最後の最後まで頑張れたのは
『みどり』『みどり』『のぞみ』の

皆さんもぜひ彼女達の事も思い出してあげて下さい。

[aotei]

ありがとうはやぶさ
長い苦難の旅の最期にふさわしい、美しい散り様です
このような美しいものを見たのは久しぶりのような気がします


本当は散らずに帰ってこられるのが一番良かったのでしょうが


Thanks a lot NASA

[kedamono]

線香花火の燃え尽きる最期の力強さとか
桜が乱れ散る美しさを連想する
これぞ日ノ本の星

[hywqjle]

Wow, it's truly stunning. The color of his reentry capsule bears a striking resemblance to that of the real Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon), with its graceful transition from pristine white to a mesmerizing shade of grayish-blue.

[karakuridoller]

はやぶさが大義を果たして不死鳥になった瞬間。
the moment Falcon becomes Phoenix.

[HirotoshiOKUMURA]

Hearing news about Hayabusa 2's capsule's return, I review this video. Can't believe this was 10 years ago, I still have very clear memory seeing this little sad (because this means the death of Hayabusa probe vehicle) but yet very brilliant beautiful light.

[mrrrloc]

Amazing technology, i wouldn't even have a clue how you can send control signals 1.25 billion miles away. Can't wait for their findings!

[NASAAmes]

@silentgi771..When Hayabusa re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, it was to the left of the constellation called Coma Berenices. The comment "Left of Coma, left of Coma" is a call to the people with less sensitive instruments where in the sky the capsule could be viewed. The bright object (upper left) that breaks up is the spacecraft ("Bus breakup") and the small bright dot in the lower right is the sample canister that has a heat shield to protect it and is what was recovered on the gorund.

[greenline]

儚くも美しき姿。
生涯で一番の一瞬の輝きを放ちながら散り去る姿。
次の世代への想いを受け継ぎ地上に落ち行く小さな輝き。

NASAの皆さんには心からお礼を申し上げます。
このような魂の最後の姿を見せて戴けて感謝しております。

[mjabian]

very beautiful. first time to see a real spacecraft re-entering Earth's atmophere.

[mozcus]

Thank you NASA.
I have been very impressed.

[knd]

まさに火の鳥の形をしている。　こんな事って・・・・
おかえり、はやぶさ。　
この感動を忘れません。

[KARFISH]

はやぶさが隼の姿になっていったように見えた～。
最後は不死鳥のように・・・。
NASAのみなさん素敵な映像をありがとう！

[bukuroprince]

@hh5944 This mission is related to Kamikaze really. Mr. Itokawa was a designer of Hayabusa, the Imperial Japanese force fighter plane some which applied to Kamikaze attack mission to crash American warships. He was forced to change the job after the war and became rocket designer. Asteroid Itokawa was named after his achievement of Japanese space engineering. The spacecraft was named after his plane of course. And now, both Japanese and Americans celebrate the reentry. To the peace, cheers!

[NeonGen]

That is amazing. I never knew there was a successful asteroid sample return mission by the Japanese.