Ryugu
(162173) Ryugu · 1999 JU3
Introduction
- Type
- Near-Earth asteroid, Apollo group; spectral type Cb (carbonaceous).Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Discovery
- Discovered: May 10, 1999 — LINEAR survey, Socorro, New Mexico.Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
Physical
- Size
- Diameter: ≈ 0.9 km (896 m); Shape: Spinning top with an equatorial ridge, Ryujin Dorsum.Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics, [2] Wikipedia
- Mass
- Mass: ≈ 450 million tonnes; Bulk density: ≈ 1.19 g/cm³ — about half its volume is empty space.Source: [2] Wikipedia
- Rotation
- Rotation period: ≈ 7.6 hours.Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Surface composition
- Geometric albedo: ≈ 0.045 — it reflects under 5% of the sunlight that hits it.Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Moons
- None reported in our sources.
Orbit & access
- Orbit
- Distance from Sun: 0.96–1.42 AU (average ≈ 1.19 AU); Orbital period: ≈ 475 days (1.3 years); Orbital inclination: ≈ 5.9°.Source: [1] NASA JPL Solar System Dynamics
- Accessibility (Δv / travel time)
- Model assumptionAbout 6.3 km/s of ideal Δv from low Earth orbit (3.27 km/s to depart + 2.99 km/s to arrive), and about 0.6 years for an ideal transfer.Model calculation from our Space Resource Intelligence (SRI) sample report: ideal two-impulse Hohmann transfer with a plane change, no gravity assists. Real trajectories differ.
- Mission history
- Spacecraft: JAXA's Hayabusa2 — arrived June 27, 2018; samples returned December 2020; Sample returned: 5.4 grams (mission goal: 0.1 gram).Source: [3] Wikipedia, [4] JAXA
Resources & economy
- Believed resources
- Model assumptionOur model looks at water / volatiles for propellant and life support. Usable fraction assumed at 0.02–0.1 of extracted material (bear to bull). Extractable water by mass from hydrated carbonaceous material; SRI assumption, not measured for this body.SRI sample-model assumption, not a measurement.
- Economic outlook
- Model assumptionScientific value now; any resource value is long-horizon option value. Our sample model gives an NPV of about −$1,970M (bear), −$1,175M (base) and $3,276M (bull).Model output from our SRI sample valuation model (launch, product value, transit, extraction and discount-rate inputs are scenario assumptions, not forecasts). Not investment advice.
- Business uses
- Information products, science partnerships, and a (very long-shot) in-space resource case. See the Business page. Open →