JAXA Engineers Plan Hybrid Engine Repair to Save Hayabusa2’s Asteroid Mission
Japan’s Hayabusa2 probe lost its final working ion engine in August 2026, jeopardizing its extended mission to asteroid 1998 KY26. JAXA engineers plan to rewire the spacecraft by combining the functional neutralizer from Engine B with the healthy ion source from Engine D, a technique previously used to save the original Hayabusa mission. The repair attempt is scheduled for late October 2026.
