But I've not yet come across any mainstream articles which discuss the contortions and hacks the engineering team have gone through to bring this machine home.
The mission's page: http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/enterp/missions/hayabusa/index.shtml
gives an overview of the spacecraft. It has been limping home on one strained engine for the past five years, as described here: http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/jsp_includes/articlePrint.jsp?storyID=news/japa042507.xml&headLine=Asteroid
Successfully returning that spacecraft home, asteroid samples or none, seems a hack worthy of recognition.
