Best of WVR #141
Hayabusa the Falcon -Welcome Back Version-
For those who don’t know, Hayabusa was a spacecraft launched in 2003 by the JAXA. (Hayabusa means Peregrine Falcon.) Its mission was to travel to the nearby asteroid Itokawa, and bring back some samples of material. This would be the first time that we got our hands on some fresh asteroid dirt.
Hayabusa reached Itokawa in 2005. Upon reaching the asteroid, poor Hayabusa had problem, after problem, after problem… Engine failures, fuel leaks, <<TRANSMISSION LOST>>… On April 25, 2007, the spacecraft began limping back to Earth. More engine failures made the return uncertain. But it still trudged on, and finally arrived back home on June 13, ending the seven-year mission in a spectacular victory candescence.
Welcome home, Hayabusa. You did well.
The original version of the song was written in the last leg of the return journey, and of course this one was when Hayabusa finally landed. While I like the original version more, this remix is very nice. Epic songs, to go with the epicness of space and space voyages.