Authors:
F. Scholten1*, F. Preusker1, S. Elgner1, K.-D. Matz1, R. Jaumann1, J. Biele2, D. Hercik3, H.-U. Auster3, M. Hamm1, M. Grott1, C. Grimm4, T.-M. Ho4, A. Koncz1, N. Schmitz1, F. Trauthan1, S. Kameda5, S. Sugita6,7, R. Honda8, T. Morota6, E. Tatsumi6,9 Y. Cho6, K. Yoshioka10, H. Sawada11, Y. Yokota11, N. Sakatani11, M. Hayakawa11, M. Matsuoka11, M. Yamada11, T. Kouyama12, H. Suzuki13, C. Honda14, K. Ogawa15,
Affiliations:
1 German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research, 12489 Berlin, Germany
2 German Aerospace Center (DLR), Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC), Cologne, Germany
3 Technical University Braunschweig, Institute for Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics, Germany
4 German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Space Systems, Bremen, Germany
5 Department of Physics, Rikkyo University, 3-34-1 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, Japan
6 University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
7 Planetary Exploration Research Center, Chiba Institute of Technology, 2-17-1 Tsudanuma, Narashino, Chiba, Japan
8 Department of Information Science, Kochi University, 2-5-1 Akebono, Kochi, Japan
9 Instituto de Astrofisica de Canrias, University of La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
10 Department of Complexity Science and Engineering, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
11 SAS, JAXA, 3-3-1 Yoshinodai, Chuo, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
12 National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, 2-3-26 Aomi, Koto, Tokyo, Japan
13 Department of Physics, Meiji University, 1-1-1 Higashimita, Tama, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
14 CAIST/ARC-Space, University of Aizu, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima, Japan
15 Department of Planetology, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodaicho, Nada, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
*Correspondence to: Frank Scholten
Astronomy & Astrophysics, 634, L3 (2019) DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201936757
Abstract:
Images from the ONC cameras onboard the Hayabusa2 spacecraft show the MASCOT lander during its descent to the surface of Asteroid (162173) Ryugu. We used results from a previous stereo-photogrammetric analysis that provided precise ONC image orientation data (camera position and pointing), ONC orthoimages, and an ONC-based 3D surface model to combine them with the visibilities of MASCOT itself and its shadow on-ground within the ONC images. We integrated additional information from instruments onboard MASCOT (MASMag, MARA, MASCam) and derived MASCOT’s release position and modeled its free-fall descent path and its velocity over 350 s from its release at ~41 m altitude above ground until its first contact with the surface of Ryugu. After the first contact, MASCOT bounced over the surface of Ryugu for 663 s and came to rest at its first settlement point after four intermediate surface contacts. We used again ONC images that show MASCOT and partly its shadow and reconÂstructed the bouncing path and the respective velocities of MASCOT. The achieved accuracy for the entire descent and bouncing path is ~0.1 m (1 σ).