Surface details (2)

A) Morphological and geological discoveries about Itokawa: the a-priori theoretical assumption that small near-Earth asteroids should have geologically homogeneous features was completely overturned by the observation of a wide variety of surface features and types at Itokawa. The surface is covered with huge boulders and, for the first time, naked surfaces not covered with regolith have been exposed. Previously visited asteroidswere covered with thick regolith, thus Itokawa’s surface is like nothing that has seen before, which is quite fortunate for the Hayabusa Mission. The opportunity to observe the true asteroid surface, which isusually concealed from view, advancesour understanding of spectroscopic observations of asteroids taken from Earth, and allows us to expand our knowledge of near Earth asteroids.