DESTINY+

Did You Know?

• The DESTINY Dust Analyzer (DDA), with a mass of 2.7 kg, is provided by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and developed by the University of Stuttgart.
• The Multiband Camera for Phaethon (MCAP) has a mass of 3.5 kg and detects light at 390 nm, 550 nm, 700 nm, and 850 nm wavelengths.
• The Telescopic Camera for Phaethon (TCAP) has a mass of 15.8 kg.

Overview

DESTINY+ is scheduled to launch from Tanegashima Space Center on an H3 rocket alongside ESA's Ramses asteroid mission. The launch was moved from the Epsilon S to the H3, shifting the date from 2025 to Japanese fiscal year 2028, though the flyby of 3200 Phaethon remains planned for 2030. Earlier plans had called for an Epsilon S launch into low-Earth orbit, followed by a 1.5-year orbit-raising phase using ion engines and a lunar flyby at about 300,000 km to enter an interplanetary trajectory. During its cruise the probe will study several near-Earth objects and measure interplanetary and interstellar dust.

Objectives

The mission serves as a technology demonstrator for low-cost solar electric propulsion in deep space and will test lightweight solar array panels. Its scientific goal is to investigate the origin and nature of dust, a key source of organic compounds to Earth. DESTINY+ will analyze dust from 3200 Phaethon with a dust analyzer and map the object's surface with a multiband telescopic camera to understand dust ejection mechanisms.

Spacecraft

DESTINY+ will employ ultra-lightweight solar panels, heat-actuated folding radiators, and compact avionics. A 3 mm aluminum shield protects the spacecraft from radiation up to about 30 krad. Propulsion comes from four μ10 solar electric ion engines, similar to those on Hayabusa and Hayabusa2, but all four will operate simultaneously, producing 40 mN of thrust with a specific impulse of 3000 seconds, acceleration of 83 μm/s², and power consumption of 1670 watts.