Modeling of 3D trajectory of Hayabusa2 re-entry based on acoustic observations
Published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 2022
Abstract
On December 5, 2020 at 17:28 UTC, JAXA’s Hayabusa2 sample return capsule (SRC) re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at supersonic speeds, emitting infrasound recorded by sensors from Kochi University of Technology and Curtin University. Based on infrasound analysis, the trajectory was estimated in two cases — constant-velocity linear motion and silent flight — with an accuracy of 0.5° in elevation and 1° in direction. Comparison with optical observations revealed a flight state where no light is emitted but sound is. This paper describes the trajectory estimation method and results using multi-station acoustic observations.
Recommended citation: Nishikawa, Y., Yamamoto, M., Sansom, E.K., Devillepoix, H.A.R., Towner, M.C., Hiramatsu, Y., Kawamura, T., Fujita, K., Yoshikawa, M., Ishihara, Y., Hamama, I., et al. (2022). "Modeling of 3D trajectory of Hayabusa2 re-entry based on acoustic observations." Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan.
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