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Japan's Hayabusa2 probe returns its asteroid sample to Earth
A capsule returning an asteroid sample from Hayabusa2 has successfully reached Earth.
Japan's Hayabusa2 lands on asteroid Ryugu to collect samples
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has successfully touched down on the surface of asteroid Ryugu to accomplish one of its ultimate goals: collect samples for scientists back on Earth. The probe has briefly landed on the asteroid to fire a bullet into its surface and kick up dust, rocks and any other debris that it can collect. Hayabusa2 has been hovering around Ryugu since mid-2018 and even dropped two landers on the floating rock to study its surface and take photos.
Japan's Hayabusa 2 spacecraft heads to a carbon-rich asteroid soon
On November 30th, Japan's Hayabusa 2 will be leaving leaving Earth aboard a Mitsubishi-made rocket to make its way to an asteroid -- but not to blow it up. The Japanese spacecraft will follow in its predecessor's footsteps and observing a space rock for science (of course). But unlike the first Hayabusa that explored an asteroid rich in silicate and nickel-iron, this one's headed for one that's made of clay and rocks: materials that could contain organic matter and water. The unmanned vehicle will traverse outer space for more than three years until it finds asteroid "1999 JU3," which it's scheduled to reach by June 2018.
Xperia GX goes through federal inspection, is still the Sony phone we want
Sony's forthcoming 4.6-inch Android ICS slab has appeared at the FCC, and has revealed a few more details on what appears to be the company's next flagship smartphone. The highlight of the federal-sanctioned autopsy of the Xperia GX reveals an interesting point; a pentaband 3G radios capable of HSPA speeds, something that's still a rarity among global smartphones. The filing otherwise offers up a not-so-thrilling glimpse at the hardware labeling and, well, not much else. See for yourself at the link below.
Leaked Sony 2012 smartphone roadmap reveals potentially birdy, minty flagships
Grab a bowl of salt and start pinching, folks. A sales report for Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications India is floating around the internet that's purportedly packing a list of 2012's planned handsets along with suggested pricing. The 11-strong list is in Rupees, and whilst we've reproduced it in full above, it's worth bearing in mind that cellphones in the "developing world" (no offense intended) are often more expensive than the equivalent handset in the US (the 16GB iPhone 4S, for example costs $650 in the US but $882 in India). The "Pepper" codename seems to tie in with what we've been expecting, but the Nypon blurrycam images we've seen don't follow the company's 2012 design language -- so we doubt they're real. That said, it's clear that a pair of flagships will arrive in the second half of the year: the code-names don't shed too much light, since Hayabusa means "Peregrine Falcon" and Mint -- well, we can hardly expect Sony to produce a phone with a built-in breath freshener, can we?
Japan's Hayabusa spacecraft returns to Earth after asteroid visit (video)
Japan's plans for sending robots to the moon may still have to wait another decade or so, but the country's space program can now claim another pretty huge victory -- its Hayabusa spacecraft successfully returned to Earth on Sunday after visiting an asteroid to collect samples. That end to the spacecraft's seven-year mission occurred somewhere in the Australian outback and, as you can see above and in the video after the break, it was quite a sight to behold. Despite appearances, however, the breaking up of the spacecraft was actually part of the plan, and Hayabusa's main return capsule is said to have made it to Earth intact -- although it's still not clear if the capsule actually contains any samples of the asteroid. Scientists should know what they have on their hands soon enough, though -- the space agency says it expects to retrieve the capsule sometime on Monday.
ZEN Pinball's Ninja Gaiden table trailer slices and dices
Wondering what the official Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 table for ZEN Pinball looks like in motion? Wonder no more -- the video above will show you all of the Hayabusa-style bumper action you'll be able to find, complete with ramps, flashing lights, ninja spirits and... burning pagodas? Boy, those ZEN folks aren't really pinball traditionalists, are they? But it does look fun. The table will bring new gameplay modes and missions along with it to the PlayStation Store on Thursday, January 14, for $2.49 (€1.99). Of course, it's DLC for the original ZEN Pinball game, so you've got to have that, too. Wait, we just rewatched it -- did Ryu just slice the ball in half? That's pretty awesome!
The Hayabusa saga continues ... sword time!
In continuation of the Halo 3 Hayabusa armor saga comes word of another ninja armor permutation that can be unlocked to show your uber l33t pwnage skills ... a ninja sword! According to various post on the Bungie.net forums and around the internet is word that an un-usable, decoration-only ninja sword attached to your Spartan's back is unlocked when the player achieves a 1000 Gamerscore in Halo 3. And, as you can see in the picture above, the ninja sword goes perfectly with your Hayabusa armor and looks quite badass. But is the Hayabusa sword incentive enough to make you want to go out of your way to earn a 1000 Gamerscore in Halo 3? Answer: Yes, yes and yes. [Thanks, Glodek]
Halo 3: Hunting for Hayabusa armor
The guys over at The Xbox Domain posted a helpful little chart for Halo 3 players who want to unlock the various Halo armor permutations and just don't know how. The chart shows a preview of each armor variation and explains what you must do to unlock each armor piece. It's quite the nice informative guide. But there is still one mystery that has yet to be solved fanboys, because the sexy samurai Hayabusa helmet has yet to be found. Actually, it's universally accepted that the Hayabusa armor will be unlocked once the player has found all 13 Halo skulls, but that's where the problem lies. There is one elusive skull named "I Would Have Been Your Daddy" that nobody has found yet (Bungie brags that it's the hardest to find) and is supposedly the last key to unlocking the Hayabusa armor. So, if you're all about being famous within' the Halo community, find the last skull, unlock the Hayabusa armor, wear it proud and be the envy of all.
