HAYABUSA is an engineering spececraft to explore an near-erth asteroid Itokawa and return the surface sample to the earth. In the middle of September it starts main obsercvation near the asteroid. After that the spacecraft decents toward the asteroid and touch the surface to get the sample. The capsule in which the sample is contained will return to the earth in June 2007. Making ovservation plan near the asteroid and preparation for analysis of the returned sample are underway.
