小惑星の主な観測終了＝はやぶさ２、帰還へ－小型探査ロボの着地確認・ＪＡＸＡ

　宇宙航空研究開発機構（ＪＡＸＡ）は２８日、探査機「はやぶさ２」から３日に投下された小型探査ロボットが小惑星「りゅうぐう」を周回後、着地したのを確認したと発表した。小惑星の主な観測は全て終了し、１１～１２月に地球帰還に向けてりゅうぐうを離れる。
　記者会見したＪＡＸＡの吉川健人さんは「高精度の重力計測に成功し、小惑星を骨の髄までしゃぶり尽くす運用ができたと思う」と述べた。（2019/10/28-18:21）

The Hayabusa2 unmanned spacecraft has completed all its major observation missions for the asteroid Ryugu, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
   The Minerva-II 2 robotic explorer released on Oct. 3 from Hayabusa2 successfully orbited the asteroid and landed on it the following day, the agency known as JAXA said Monday.
   After the mission, Hayabusa2 is set to leave Ryugu in November or December to return to Earth.
   "We've succeeded in high-precision gravity measurements," JAXA researcher Kento Yoshikawa told a news conference, adding that Hayabusa2 researched the asteroid to the maximum extent possible.
   JAXA originally planned to use the Minerva-II 2 explorer, developed by Tohoku University and others, to test its hopping rover on the asteroid surface and conduct observations.