29th, 2005: Finally came into the range where the target can be identified by the CCD sensor on its star tracker device.

Reduced the speed and approached Itokawa.

2.5 AU from the Earth. 380million kilometer beyond the Earth.

The bit rate at this distance is 8 bps (bit per second). Since only 8 signals of 0s or 1s can be sent per second, no matter how hard you desire, complex communication such as audio communication is absolutely impossible.

Even communication with the text-based online service around 1990 had a bit rate of 1,200 bps, but even then it was accused for the slow rate.

A point on the orbit where the Earth is farthest from the sun.

The distance from the sun is 1.7AU - astronautical unit.

Although Hayabusa is equipped with a heater to protect the internal machines, only the minimum operation is allowed due to low power generation.

Space is cold.

A long, long journey. For a simple summary...

May 23th, 2004. Observation of Antares, Scorpii, also for adjustment.

May 27th. Resumed operation of the ion engines.

September. Lowered the output of the ion engines to save power as gradually moving away from the Sun.

October. Only two of the ion engines were operating as further moving away from the Sun. 1.3AU (astronautical unit) apart from the Earth.

November. Observation of the Mars.

December. Only one of the ion engines was operating with decrease in power generation... Four ion engines were installed in Hayabusa; however, one of them broke down immediately after the launch.

In this comic, Morse code is used for communication from Hayabusa-san. However, this is only for illustrative purposes of this comic.