Japan lost contact with Itokawa planet exploration robot

The Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) was unable to contact MINERVA, the small robot that the Hayabusa probe dropped on Itokawa asteroid. For two days now, this robot has been wandering after the fall.

MINERVA is equipped with temperature sensors and cameras that do not reach the surface of Itokawa asteroids. Mission managers cannot contact the robot.

This is a new failure for the MUSES - Hayabusa mission, after the first unsuccessful landing on November 4 to Itokawa. As expected, the probe will land twice on November 19 and 25 to collect samples on the planet's surface. Once the cabin is filled with samples, the ship will return to Earth in 2007.