HAYABUSA: Resumption of return cruise by combining two ion engines

On November 4, JAXA found that one of the main ion engines aboard the Asteroid Explorer "HAYABUSA" had autonomously stopped during the second propulsion period in its return cruise back to the Earth. As a result of studying the measures to cope with this situation, JAXA confirmed that we can gain thrust power that is equivalent to that of one engine by combining the neutralizer of the Thruster A and the ion source of the Thruster B.
We believe that the HAYABUSA will be able to maintain its current return schedule to the earth around June 2010 as long as we can sustain the current conditions and sequence of operation. We will attentively monitor its return trip.

• Press Release
• Asteroid Explorer HAYABUSA