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On Dec. 3, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, successfully launched its Hayabusa2 mission to rendezvous with an asteroid, land a small probe plus three mini rovers on its surface, and then return samples to Earth.
NASA and JAXA are cooperating on the science of the mission and NASA will receive a portion of the Hayabusa2 sample in exchange for providing Deep Space Network communications and navigation support for the mission.
Hayabusa2 builds on lessons learned from JAXA’s initial Hayabusa mission, which collected samples from a small asteroid named Itokawa and returned them to Earth in June 2010.
Hayabusa2’s target is a 750 meter-wide asteroid named 1999 JU3, because of the year when it was discovered by the NASA-sponsored Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research project, Lexington, Massachusetts.
This is a C-type asteroid which are thought to contain more organic material than other asteroids. Scientists hope to better understand how the solar system evolved by studying samples from these asteroids.
“We think of C-type asteroids as being less altered than others,” said Lucy McFadden, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Bringing that material back and being able to look at it in the lab – I think it’s going to be very exciting.”
On Nov. 17, NASA and JAXA signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on the Hayabusa2 mission and NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security – Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission to mutually maximize their missions’ results. OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to launch in 2016.
It will be the first U.S. asteroid sample return mission. OSIRIS-REx will rendezvous with the 500-meter-sized asteroid Bennu in 2019 for detailed reconnaissance and a return of samples to Earth in 2023.
Hayabusa2 and OSIRIS-REx will further strengthen the two space agencies’ relationship in asteroid exploration.
The missions will also help NASA choose its target for the first-ever mission to capture and redirect an asteroid. NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) in the 2020s will help NASA test new technologies needed for future human missions for the Journey to Mars.
Comets and asteroids contain material that formed in a disk surrounding our infant sun.
The hundreds of thousands of known asteroids are leftovers from material that didn't coalesce into a planet or moon in the inner solar system.
The thousands of known comets likely formed in the outer solar system, far from the sun's heat, where water exists as ice.
Larger objects like dwarf planets Pluto and Ceres also formed in the outer solar system, where water ice is stable. Pluto and Ceres will soon be explored by NASA missions New Horizons and Dawn, respectively.
Asteroids and comets are of unique interest to scientists, though, because they could hold clues to the origins of life on Earth.
These missions have greatly increased scientific knowledge on Earth about our solar system and the history of our planet.
Many scientists suspect we could find organic material in asteroids and comets, like amino acids – critical building blocks for life, which could help answer questions about the origins of life on Earth. These questions drive us to continue exploring the intriguing asteroids and comets of our solar system.
Multiple missions that are operating in space or in development by NASA and international partners could bring us much closer to answering that question in our lifetimes and also help identify Near-Earth Objects that might pose a risk of Earth impact, and further help inform developing options for planetary defense.
Follow the latest missions and discoveries at: http://www.nasa.gov/asteroid-and-comet-watch/ .
Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Arson Task Force is leading the investigation into a Friday morning fire that destroyed dozens of units at a Lakeport mini storage facility.
Resources from several local fire agencies were on the scene of the incident – which occurred at M&M Mini Storage at 4285 Lakeshore Blvd. – for much of the day.
John Marino, who owns the facility, estimated that three-quarters of his 82 storage units and their contents were destroyed by the fire.
Marino said the fire consumed many irreplaceable family heirlooms, along with a number of cars and boats.
“For me, personally, my heart breaks for all my tenants,” he said.
Lakeport Fire Capt. Bob Ray said the fire was dispatched shortly before 5 a.m.
“It was pretty well involved by the time we got the call,” he said, noting that firefighters en route could see the fire – which already had gone through the mini storage's roof – glowing in the distance.
Ray said the fire started somewhere near the center of the units and burned both directions along the length of the building.
Lakeport Fire and Kelseyville Fire initially responded, with Northshore Fire sending units from its Nice and Upper Lake stations, Ray said.
There were a total of eight engines, a ladder truck and five chief officers who worked the incident, Ray said.
Ray said incident command also requested a response from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife due to concerns about runoff possibly making its way into nearby drainages and, then, Clear Lake.
“We were able to mitigate that,” Ray said.
Lake County Environmental Health and Public Works also responded, with the Lake County Sheriff's Office sending units for traffic control, Ray said.
Although the units did not have electricity, Ray said Pacific Gas and Electric was on scene due to power lines for nearby residences being close to the fire.
Ray said it took about two hours to control the fire, with units remaining on scene for several hours more to deal with small pockets of burning debris.
He and several of the units and firefighters were relieved by day staff at around noon, while Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison and other personnel remained at the location until about 3 p.m., when the incident was finally terminated.
Ray said there currently is no estimate of total damages, as fire officials don't know everything that was in the units, which he estimated were about 12 feet by 30 feet, or the size of a one-car garage only deeper.
He said there were boats, classic cars, tools, antiques and a variety of other objects destroyed.
There were reports of acetylene tanks and ammunition in some of the units. Ray said there were some loud explosions but he didn't know the exact source.
Ray said the Lake County Arson Task Force is investigating.
“We don't have a cause yet,” he said, adding he wasn't sure how long it would take investigators to reach a conclusion. “It will be a while.”
He said the mini storage was typical in that it didn't have electricity, “So that kind of eliminates electrical as being the cause.”
The odd time of day – before 5 a.m., when people aren't normally coming and going from such a facility – has raised questions about the fire's potential cause, Ray said.
Marino, a former Lakeport planning commissioner, has owned M&M Mini Storage for nine years, buying it in poor condition – he said it had been a “dump” – and fixing it up. Along the way, he said he became friends with all of his tenants.
Over the years they've told him stories about the possessions they kept there – such as a rocking chair owned by grandmother that had been used to rock the family's babies to sleep – to other valued antiques.
On Friday, Marino said he heard even more of those stories as people recounted the histories of their lost treasures.
While Marino said it's easy for him to rebuild his business, what his tenants have lost can't be so easily replaced, adding it was “devastating for a lot of people.”
Speaking as he was leaving the business late Friday afternoon, Marino's voice broke, and he noted that he couldn't remember the last time he had cried.
He said he was trying to process what had happened and all of the stories he had heard, set against the backdrop of the holiday season.
“It's been a long day,” he said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Lakeport, Calif. -- An early morning fire at M&M Mini Storage on Lakeshore Blvd in Lakeport has caused significant damage to the facility.
Reader Ron Lawrence was able to capture this image of the scene today at approximately 7:30 a.m. as firefighters worked to stop the blaze. Lakeport Fire is still on the scene at 11 a.m..
This report will be updated as more information becomes available.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – AccuWeather's Global Weather Center reports that a long train of storms over the Pacific Ocean is on an express route to Northern California and the coastal Northwest and will deliver rounds of drenching rain into the middle of December.
The weather pattern through the middle of the month has the potential to bring 6 to 12 inches of rain from Northern California to western Washington state and yards of snow to the high country of the northern Sierra Nevada and Cascades.
While much less rain and high country snow are likely to fall farther south in California, there will be a few rounds of needed moisture.
The storm from this past Tuesday and Wednesday was only the beginning of a pattern that will deliver moisture in the form of rain and high-country snow to the West Coast.
Much more rain on a gradual basis is needed to alleviate the extreme to exceptional drought conditions extending back several years, centered on California.
Since the start of 2013 and prior to the storm of Dec. 2 and 3, a rainfall deficit of 1 to 2 feet was common in the region with even greater deficits in some areas.
The Tuesday-Wednesday storm delivered an average of 1 to 3 inches of rain to California with locally higher and lower amounts.
Rainfall from the storm was 2.53 inches at San Diego, 2.96 inches at Sacramento and 3.56 inches at San Francisco. Enough rain fell to cause isolated urban-style flooding, as well as mudslides.
The next storm in the train will reach the California, Oregon and Washington coasts Friday afternoon and will continue into early Saturday.
The bulk of this rain will fall from Northern California to Oregon, where a general 1 to 2 inches are likely.
Northern California's Lake County is expected to see a maximum of just over an inch of rain from Friday through Saturday, according to the forecast.
Locally higher amounts of rain are possible in the west and southwest-facing slopes of the coastal ranges, northern Sierra Nevada and Cascades. Very spotty showers may reach as far south as the Los Angeles Basin.
Snow levels with the Friday night storm will be generally above 7,500 feet in the northern Sierra Nevada, but some ice and snow can occur at pass level in the northern Cascades.
There will be a little break from the storms during the middle of this weekend.
However, another storm is due to roll in from the Pacific Sunday night.
Essentially, storms are likely to arrive along the West Coast every other day or so.
There is the potential for a large storm to swing onshore later next week, which could spread heavy rain into Southern California.
Any of the storms through the middle of the month will bring a risk of renewed isolated flooding and mudslides.
Alex Sosnowski is an expert senior meteorologist for www.AccuWeather.com .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Hero Project celebrated its first Hullabaloo on Nov. 19.
The Hero Project Hullabaloos are family-friendly, themed events that focus on parent engagement.
Nearly 150 parents, children and volunteers filled the Lower Lake High School Multipurpose room for the evening event, which focused on the importance of reading together and eating together as a family.
A free meal was provided with dessert. Every child received a free United Way backpack filled with books and a school readiness binder.
Additionally, every family received all the necessary ingredients to make an apple pie at home for Thanksgiving.
The next Hero Project Hullabaloo will focus on the December and January themes of Unplug and Play.
Nearly 40 families visited informational booths sponsored by Easter Seals, Healthy Start, North Coast Opportunities, WIC and Lake Family Resource Center.
As dinner was cleared, the children exited to the library for stories and crafts. A short presentation reminded parents of the importance of reading together and eating together regularly.
Parents were placed into small discussion groups. Group leaders asked questions like, “What is your biggest struggle when getting your child to read?” The open-forum discussion groups allowed parents to share real life challenges and successes with one another.
The evening concluded as the children returned. Various prizes were awarded. Local gift certificates were given to parent discussion group winners. One family won a Hero Project book nook. Nearly 20 children won free books via a drawing.
The Hero Project is on a mission to remind all parents that they are their child’s first and most important teacher.
A singular monthly focus helps parents hone their superhero parenting skills through challenges and incentives.
In October families were challenged to read together at least three times each week. Parents who completed this challenge received a free book for every young child in their household.
During November families were challenged to take a S.E.A.T (sit eat and talk) around the family dinner table weekly. Challenge champions will earn a free pizza to a local restaurant.
In December families will be challenged to unplug and reconnect daily. Parents who complete this challenge will win an age appropriate board or card game for their children.
The Hero Project offers specific parenting tips, tricks, and tools via social media (Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter) and through its Web site.
The Hero Project would like to thank the Lake County Office of Education Literacy Task Force for donating books, United Way Wine Country for donating backpacks, DJ’s Pizza for donating pizzas, North Coast Opportunities for donating apples, and Hardester’s Market and Clearlake Walmart for donating pie crusts for the Hullabaloo.
The Hero Project is made possible through the following sponsors: Lake County Office of Education, St. Helena Hospital Clearlake, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Redbud Health Care District, Health Leadership Network and First 5 Lake.
For more information about the Hero Project visit www.lakecountyheroproject.com . Follow the Hero Project on Twitter at @HeroProjectLake.
Robyn Bera is a communications specialist with the Lake County Office of Education. Contact her at 707-262-4133 or at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Two Hidden Valley Lake men were injured in a Thursday morning crash in Napa County that led to the brief closure of a portion of Highway 29.
Michael Perreault, 45, and Brian Deutsch, 55, were injured when their vehicles hit head-on in the area just south of Old Lawley Toll Road on Mount St. Helena, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol's Napa office.
The CHP report said that at approximately 6:18 a.m. Perreault, driving a 2005 Jeep Wrangler, was traveling northbound approaching a sweeping right turn in the roadway, with Deutsch, in a 1994 Honda Civic, driving southbound approaching the same curve in the roadway.
As Perreault's Jeep entered the curve in the road, he applied the brakes, but the CHP said the vehicle failed to maintain the northbound lane through the curve, sliding into the southbound lane, directly into the path of Deutsch's Honda.
The CHP said the left front of the Jeep struck the left front of the Honda, with the impact causing moderate to major damage to both vehicles.
Deutsch, who was not wearing his seat belt, suffered major injuries and was transported by ambulance to Queen of the Valley Hospital. From there, he was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, the CHP said.
Perreault was wearing his seat belt and sustained minor injuries. The CHP said he was taken by ambulance to Queen of the Valley Hospital.
Both Calistoga Fire and Cal Fire were on scene, as well as Calistoga Police, according to the CHP.
CHP Officer Anna Paulson said Highway 29 was closed to through traffic for an hour and 20 minutes while emergency personnel worked at the scene and to allow authorities to conduct the investigation into the traffic collision.
Email Elizabeth Larson at