Hayabusa

Hayabusa is a mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency|Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) that visited the asteroid Itokawa to study it and collect samples for return to Earth. Hayabusa used solar pressure on the spacecraft and solar arrays to maintain a position 20 km sunward of Itokawa, before descending to the surface for closer inspection and attempt sample collection. Hayabusa is returning to Earth, and is scheduled to drop the sample return capsule on June 13, 2010.