Itokawa

Definition

Itokawa is a peanut-shaped, near-Earth asteroid that was the target of the Japanese Hayabusa mission. It represents a rubble-pile structure, composed of many smaller boulders held together by gravity.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Itokawa was discovered in 1998 by the LINEAR project.
2. The asteroid measures approximately 535 meters in length.
3. Hayabusa was the first mission to return samples from an asteroid, specifically Itokawa, to Earth in 2010.
4. Itokawa's surface is divided into two distinct regions: one with large boulders and one with fine gravel.
5. Studies of samples from Itokawa have provided insights into the composition and history of asteroids.

Review Questions

• What was significant about the Hayabusa mission's encounter with Itokawa?
• Describe the physical characteristics and structure of Itokawa.
• What are some key findings obtained from the samples returned from Itokawa?

Related terms

Hayabusa: A Japanese space mission that successfully returned samples from asteroid Itokawa.

Rubble-pile Asteroid: A type of asteroid composed of numerous smaller rocks and boulders held together by gravity.

Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA): An asteroid whose orbit brings it close to Earth's orbit.