19:36:12 Message from Hayabusa2 Project Manager, Yuichi Tsuda: Hayabusa2 will now ignite the ion engines to begin full-scale orbit control for the Extended Mission. The first goal is asteroid 2001 CC21. So, people of Earth, here we go again.
19:37:36 [Ion engine operation begins!] Today on January 5, 2021, at around 12:00 JST, Hayabusa2 started powered navigation with three of the ion engines.