JAXA Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

Amidst the restrictions on international travel due to COVID-19, "APRSAF Online 2020" was held on November 19 under the theme of "Sharing Space Visions Beyond Distance". Subsequent to the opening remarks by Mr. Hagiuda, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japan, the following sessions were held.

1. During the Country Reports Session, 16 countries in the Asia-Pacific region reported on their own efforts to continue space activities, despite a number of challenges posed by COVID-19 in the region.
2. In the APRSAF Activities Reports Session, it was informed that the initiatives namely Sentinel Asia, SAFE, Kibo-ABC, and NSLI have been and will continue to be carried out remotely and in other creative ways. Also, the winners of APRSAF Poster Contest, open to children of age 8 to 11 in the Asia-Pacific region, were announced.
3. In the Panel Session, panelists from various backgrounds, including start-ups and academia, discussed the roles of governments and private sector in fostering the growth of space businesses and what is needed for sustainable space activities. The panelists suggested that achieving linkage between information from satellites and that on the ground as well as collaboration amongst diverse players would lead to solving issues on the ground, and ultimately, to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They also expressed their expectation that governments and space agencies could support business activities as customer and take the lead in creating appropriate rules to ensure the sustainability of space activities.
4. The Heads of Space Agencies Session was held with 12 Heads and 3 Representatives from space agencies in the Asia-Pacific region, who shared their visions of space initiatives in the challenging era of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many participants pointed out that it is in the midst of these constraints that innovations are created, and also the importance of space technology is increasing especially in supporting remote activities.
5. The APRSAF Executive Committee proposed the restructuring of the APRSAF Working Groups and the establishment of the APRSAF award. For both proposals, the APRSAF website will be open for comments until 25 December. It was also announced that the committee plans to finalize the details on the award program in February 2021 and the restructuring of the Working Groups in April 2021.

Finally, the four-hour event came to an end with the closing remarks from Prof. Minh, the President of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, who also announced the next APRSAF-27 will be held in Hanoi in 2021.

Dr. YAMAKAWA, JAXA President &
Ms. YAMAZAKI, Japanese astronaut

Dec. 7, 2020 Updated
Gas sampling from the Hayabusa2 sample container

This morning (December 7), the recovery team confirmed that the re-entry capsule was properly sealed and completed the gas sampling work.

Although we analyzed the collected gas and evaluated the data, we have not yet determined whether it originates from the sample from Ryugu.

A detailed analysis will continue in Japan.

Equipment brought to Australia for gas analysis.
© JAXA

After the completion of the set-up of the clean booth, a test run is underway.
© JAXA

Dec. 6, 2020 Updated
Completion of Transportation of Hayabusa2 Re-entry Capsule to QLF

The helicopter carrying Hayabusa2 re-entry capsule arrived at the Quick Look Facility (QLF) at 8:03 December 6, 2020 (JST).

Re-entry capsule collection

Dec. 6, 2020 Updated
Result of Hatabusa2 Re-entry Capsule Search

Hayabusa2 re-entry capsule re-entered the atmosphere at around 2:28 a.m. on December 6, 2020 (JST). The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) searched for the capsule by helicopter and located its landing site in WPA, Australia at 4:47 December 6, 2020 (JST).
Capsule recovery operations will take place in the morning of December 6, 2020 (JST).
* WPA : Woomera Prohibited Area

Fireball taken from Coober Pedy

Dec. 5, 2020 Updated
Successful Separation of Hayabusa2 Re-entry Capsule

It was confirmed from telemetry and Doppler data that Hayabusa2 re-entry capsule separated from the Hayabusa2 spacecraft as planned at 14:35 on December 5, 2020 (JST).