Japanese Spacecraft Successfully Lands on Distant Asteroid for Sample Collection
Japan's Hayabusa2 probe touches down on the asteroid Ryugu to gather subsurface material that scientists hope reveals clues about the origins of the solar system.
A Japanese spacecraft successfully touches down on a distant asteroid to collect material that provides clues to the origin of the solar system and life on Earth. Workers at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency control center applaud as a signal from space indicates the Hayabusa2 spacecraft reaches the surface of the asteroid, which is named Ryugu.
During the touchdown, Hayabusa2 extends a pipe and shoots a pinball-like object into the asteroid to blast up material from beneath the surface. The craft then collects these rocky samples to eventually send back to Earth, with a total of three such touchdowns planned for the mission.
The asteroid sits about 170 million miles from Earth and measures roughly 3,000 feet in diameter. Scientists believe Ryugu contains organic matter that contributes to life on our planet, making this successful landing a major step forward in understanding the dawn of the solar system.