Asteroid Ryugu before the Hayabusa2 encounter

Citation

Wada K, Grott M, Michel P, Walsh KJ, Barucci AM, Biele J, Blum J, Ernst CM, Grundmann JT, Gundlach B, Hagermann A, Hamm M, Jutzi M, Kim M & Le Corre L (2018) Asteroid Ryugu before the Hayabusa2 encounter. Progress in Earth and Planetary Science, 5 (1), Art. No.: 82. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40645-018-0237-y

Abstract
Asteroid (162173) Ryugu is the target object of Hayabusa2, an asteroid exploration and sample return mission led by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Ground-based observations indicate that Ryugu is a C-type near-Earth asteroid with a diameter of less than 1 km, but the knowledge of its detailed properties is very limited prior to Hayabusa2 observation. This paper summarizes our best understanding of the physical and dynamical properties of Ryugu based on ground-based remote sensing and theoretical modeling before the Hayabusa2’s arrival at the asteroid. This information is used to construct a design reference model of the asteroid that is used for the formulation of mission operation plans in advance of asteroid arrival. Particular attention is given to the surface properties of Ryugu that are relevant to sample acquisition. This reference model helps readers to appropriately interpret the data that will be directly obtained by Hayabusa2 and promotes scientific studies not only for Ryugu itself and other small bodies but also for the solar system evolution that small bodies shed light on.

Keywords
Hayabusa2; Ryugu; Asteroids; Regolith; Physical properties

Notes
Additional co-authors: Guy Libourel, Roy Lichtenheldt, Alessandro Maturilli, Scott R. Messenger, Tatsuhiro Michikami, Hideaki Miyamoto, Stefano Mottola, Thomas Müller, Akiko M. Nakamura, Larry R. Nittler, Kazunori Ogawa, Tatsuaki Okada, Ernesto Palomba, Naoya Sakatani, Stefan E. Schröder, Hiroki Senshu, Driss Takir, Michael E. Zolensky and International Regolith Science Group (IRSG) in Hayabusa2 project

Journal
Progress in Earth and Planetary Science: Volume 5, Issue 1

• Asteroid Ryugu before the Hayabusa2 encounter