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Mascot (System)

MASCOT (mobile asteroid surface scout) is an asteroid lander that was developed as the DLR contribution to JAXA's Hayabusa-II mission.

The mission started in 2014 and MASCOT was deployed on October 3, 2018.

Technical Data

Type: ILM25 motor with HFUC8 gear box (Harmonic Drive)
Size: Motor: Ø 31mm × 64cm
Board: 95mm × 105mm × 18mm
Weight: Motor: 112g + 137g (eccentric arm)
Board: 161g (incl. cables)
Max. torque: 3Nm
Power: max. 48W
Communication: RS422 communication interface
Features: • Fully cold redundant electronics
• Radiation tolerant and ITAR free MOSFETs

System description

DLR has developed an asteroid landing unit MASCOT (mobile asteroid surface scout) as a contribution to the Japanese Hayabusa II mission. The individual components of MASCOT as well as the classification within the Hayabusa-2 mission are described by the Institute of Space Systems.

The Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics contributed a locomotion mechanism to MASCOT by means of a swing arm. The target asteroid 1999JU3 or Ryugu has a very low gravity, so that any movement on its surface has to be dosed skillfully. MASCOT can move in a bouncing and uprighting manner by rotating an eccentrically mounted mass (the swing arm). The eccentric mass is specifically accelerated and decelerated. In this way, torques are applied to the almost 10 kg payload box. This achieves both a turning and a locomotion.

The power electronics of the BLDC motor was designed redundantly and is compactly accommodated on a board measuring 95 × 105 mm. Careful selection of the electrical and mechanical components ensures that the motor functions under adverse conditions.

The mission was launched on December 3, 2014 at 13:22:04 (JST) from Tanegashima Space Center. In the summer of 2018, the Hayabusa2 probe approached the asteroid to within a few kilometers and took its first images. The lander MASCOT was successfully released by the Japanese spacecraft on October 3, 2018 at 01:58 UTC from a height of 51 meters and came to rest on the asteroid's surface about 20 minutes later. After a few bounces, the unit was able to start its work and complete it to the complete satisfaction of all scientists involved, see also the article on the DLR main portal.

More information on the project can be found at the project page.

MASCOT-Bildergalerie

MASCOT scenario

Depiction of Hayabusa2 and MASCOT in mission scenario at asteroid 

Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0).

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MASCOT system

CAD drawing of the MASCOT system (left) and its electronics box (right) with the mobility motor mounted on. 

Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0).

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CAD drawing of the MASCOT system

Mobility unit CAD drawing

Next to the motor there is the Harmonic Drive gearing consisting of circular spline (bright green), flex spline (green) and wave generator (dark blue). The eccentric arm (violet) is supported by an extra bearing (bright blue) and attached to the shaft by a screw (red) that also serves as a MLI foil standoff. 

Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0).

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Mobility unit CAD drawing

Motor and eccentric arm of the mobility unit

Flight model of the motor and eccentric arm (mobility unit MobUnit) 

Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0).

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Motor and eccentric arm of the mobility unit

MASCOT flight model

Photo image of MASCOT flight model before integration in the Hayabusa2 mother spacecraft 

Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0).

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MASCOT flight model

MASCOT mission logo

Logo of the MASCOT mission 

Credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0).

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MASCOT mission logo

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Veröffentlichungen

  • J. Reill et al., "Development of a mobility drive unit for low gravity planetary body exploration", 12th Symposium on Advanced Space Technologies in Robotics and Automation (ASTRA), (ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands), May 2013, http://elib.dlr.de/86421/.

  • J. Reill et al., "MASCOT – asteroid lander with innovative mobility mechanism", 13th Symposium on Advanced Space Technologies in Robotics and Automation (ASTRA), (ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands), May 2015, http://elib.dlr.de/96381/.

  • T.-M. Ho et al., "MASCOT – the mobile asteroid surface scout onboard the HAYABUSA2 mission", Space Science Reviews, vol. 208, pp. 339-374, July 2017, http://elib.dlr.de/107136/.

Contact
Dr. Josef Reill
German Aerospace Center

Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics
, Mechatronic Systems
Oberpfaffenhofen-Weßling

Tel.: +49 8153 28-3563

Fax: +49 8153 28-1134

Related links
Mascot (system)
Mascot (Project)
DLR MASCOT special
System Dynamics and Control: Leaping on asteroids
Space Systems: An asteroid scout with a sense of direction
Microgravity User Support Center (MUSC)
MASCOT in the drop tower
Animation: MASCOT auf Hayabusa2
Current Hayabusa2 position
CNES: Hayabusa 2 / Mascot
Wikipedia: 162173 Ryugu
Media
Spiegel 2018: Der Schuhkarton ist gelandet
heise 2018: Asteroid Ryugu könnte Erde gefährlich werden
heise 2018: Mascot auf dem Asteroiden Ryugu gelandet
DLR 2018: Hayabusa2 and MASCOT reach Ryugu
heise 2018: Raumsonde erreicht Ryugu
SZ 2018: Hayabusa2 erreicht Ryugu
DLR 2017: Japanischer Minister für Raumfahrt besucht RMC
heise 2014: Deutsch-japanische Asteroidenmission Hayabusa2 gestartet
Zeit 2014: Japan startet Rakete mit Sonde für Asteroiden
Spiegel 2014: Asteroiden-Sonde soll am Mittwoch starten
FAZ 2014: Neues Weltraumabenteuer von Japan aus gestartet
BR 2014: Hayabusa 2 mit deutschem Landegerät gestartet
DLR 2014: en route to Asteroid 1999 JU3
DLR 2014: "Mitfluggelegenheit" auf dem Asteroidenlander
DLR 2013: Preparing to visit an asteroid
DLR 2012: An asteroid lander with a sense of direction
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