Hayabusa is the world's first asteroid probe whose mission is to return a sample from the surface of a celestial body further away than the Moon to Earth. We take a look at the challenge of the Hayabusa Team from the unique perspective of NEC, who has been involved in the development, manufacture, testing and operation of Hayabusa under the direction of JAXA.
The article was researched and written by Shinya Matsuura, a non-fiction author who has been covering the globally watched Hayabusa project since its planning stage. He keenly interviewed the development and operations engineers of the Hayabusa Team and introduces fascinating behind-the-scenes tidbits of the Hayabusa project.
Tale 1: Connecting Space and Earth
Kenichi Shirakawa,Orbit and Attitude Control Manager,
NEC Aerospace Systems
Released June 11, 2010
- Hayabusa had indeed successfully gone on an earthbound orbit. But the job of Shirakawa, who is in charge of orbit and attitude control, will not be over until the re-entry capsule safely lands in the Woomera Desert in Australia...
Tale 2: Hayabusa returns after
Shinji Hagino, Project Manager, NEC Corporation
overcoming many obstacles
Released July 30, 2010
- Shinji Hagino, project manager, led a team of NEC engineers to develop Hayabusa. Now the re-entry capsule is finally being guided toward the Woomera Desert in Australia...
Tale 3: The miracles brought about
Yasuo Horiuchi, Ion Engine Engineer, NEC Corporation
by the ion engines
Released July 30, 2010
- Yasuo Horiuchi, an ion engine engineer, calls Hayabusa a very lucky probe. His phrase is based on the miracles brought about by the ion engines...
Tale 4: People who made
Engineers in Charge of Orbit Planning,
the long journey possible
Ground System Design, and Operations
Released September 2, 2010
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Hayabusa's dramatic return to Earth on June 13th was the culmination of the tireless efforts of NEC’s engineers, who had worked without a break since the launch on May 9th, 2003.
Four engineers look back on their work during Hayabusa's seven-year journey. 
Tale 5: Creating Hayabusa,
Takeshi Oshima, System Manager, NEC Corporation
the only probe of its kind
Toshiaki Okudaira, Structural Designer,
NEC TOSHIBA Space Systems
Kazunori Shouji, Mechanical System Engineer,
NEC Engineering
Seietsu Nishine, (Handling) Technician,
NEC TOSHIBA Space Systems
Released September 13, 2010
- To successfully fly to and from an asteroid for the first time in history, it was necessary to design, manufacture, and assemble everything from scratch. Impossible demands were made of NEC's engineers…
