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MASCOT (Project)

MASCOT (mobile asteroid surface scout) is an asteroid lander that was developed as the DLR contribution to JAXA's Hayabusa 2 mission.

Duration: 2011-01-01 until 2018-12-31
rocket launch: 3 December 2014
Project partners: • Hayabusa 2 Mission (JAXA, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
• MASCOT structure (DLR Braunschweig FA-MFW)
• GNC, guidance, navigation & control system (DLR Bremen RY)
• PCDU, power and communication systems (CNES, Centre National D’études Spatiales)
• OBC, on board computer (Telespazio VEGA Deutschland GmbH)
• CAM, visible camera (DLR Berlin PF)
• MARA, infrared radiometer (DLR Berlin PF)
• MAG, magnetometer (Techincal University Braunschweig)
• MicroOmega, near infrared hyperspectral microscope (IAS Paris)
• MOB, mobility unit (DLR Oberpfaffenhofen RMC)
Website:  
Applications: • Analysis of asteroid Ryugu’s mineral composition, temperature and magnetic characteristics
• Sample collection and return to earth
Funding: DLR

Project details

A special mechatronic mechanism allows the lander to upright to nominal position and to relocate on asteroid surface by hopping. The target asteroid 1999JU3 Ryugu offers only very little gravity. By accelerating and decelerating an eccentric arm with a brushless DC motor jerk is applied to the overall 10 kg system and MASCOT is able to hop on asteroid surface. As it is important for on board science instruments that MASCOT is oriented in nominal position, the compact mobility subsystem electronics is built redundant and put on a single PCB with envelope size of 95x105x18 mm. Due to space and weight limitations the actuator is not built redundant. On 3rd December 2014 at 05:22 CEST, a JAXA H IIA launch vehicle lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center and the Hayabusa-II spacecraft together with its MASCOT lander began their journey through space. After a cruise of almost four years, Hayabusa-II with MASCOT will reach their target in summer 2018, where MASCOT will descend to the surface of the asteroid.

More information about the technical details can be found at the page about the MASCOT system.

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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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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