| Mission type | Asteroid flyby, technology demonstration |
|---|---|
| Operator | University of Tokyo / JAXA |
| COSPAR ID | 2014-076D |
| SATCAT no. | 40322 |
| Website | PROCYON on University of Tokyo site |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | Total: 67 kg (148 lb) |
| Dry mass | 64.5 kg (142 lb) |
| Dimensions | 0.55 × 0.55 × 0.67 m (1.8 × 1.8 × 2.2 ft) |
| Power | 25 |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 3 December 2014, 04:22 UTC |
| Rocket | H-IIA 202 |
| Launch site | LA-Y, Tanegashima Space Center |
| End of mission | |
| Last contact | 3 December 2015 |
| Flyby of Earth | |
| Closest approach | 3 December 2015 |
| Flyby of (185851) 2000 DP107 | |
| Closest approach | Intended: 2016 |
PROCYON (Proximate Object Close flyby with Optical Navigation) was an asteroid flyby space probe that was launched together with Hayabusa2 on 3 December 2014 13:22:04 (JST). It was developed by University of Tokyo and JAXA. It was a small (70 kg, approx. 60 cm cube), low cost (¥500 million) spacecraft.[1]
It was intended to flyby the asteroid (185851) 2000 DP107 in 2016,[2] but the plan was abandoned due to the malfunction of the ion thruster.[1]
- ^ a b プロキオン:小惑星への接近観測断念. Mainichi Shimbun. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
- ^ 超小型探査機「PROCYON」 二重小惑星を目指して航行中 [Very Small Probe PROCYON Cruising Toward a Binary Asteroid]. Space Elevator News. 7 April 2015. Archived from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2015.