Ryugu

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  • Ryugu asteroid samples

    First full asteroid return sample confirms early Solar System origins

    Scientists have studied their first full asteroid return sample, and it confirms Ryugu is made of extremely primitive Solar System material.

    Jon Fingas
    12.21.2021
  • JAXA

    JAXA shows the sub-surface samples it collected from asteroid Ryugu

    Shortly after Japan's Hayabusa2 probe returned to Earth, JAXA showed off some of the samples it collected from asteroid Ryugu. Now, JAXA has released photos showing the contents of the capsule’s “C” chamber, which it opened on December 21st. In JAXA’s tweet, it said the agency opened both chambers “B” and “C.” The “B” chamber is empty since it wasn’t used for collection, but the “C” chamber was used to collect samples during Hayabusa2’s second touchdown in July 2019.

    Mariella Moon
    12.25.2020
  • Samples from the asteroid Ryugu.

    Japan's space agency shows off samples collected from asteroid Ryugu

    Japan’s space agency JAXA has opened the space probe Hayabusa2’s recently-returned sample capsule and found that the mission did succeed in collecting material from the asteroid Ryugu.

    Steve Dent
    12.15.2020
  • In this picture taken on July 10, 2019 a man walks past a screen displaying a computer-generated image of the Hayabusa2 probe, during a news broadcast at Akihabara district in Tokyo. - Japan's Hayabusa2 probe landed successfully on a distant asteroid for a final touchdown on July 11, 2019, hoping to collect samples that could shed light on the evolution of the solar system. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP) (Photo credit should read BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images)

    Japan's Hayabusa2 probe returns its asteroid sample to Earth

    A capsule returning an asteroid sample from Hayabusa2 has successfully reached Earth.

    Jon Fingas
    12.05.2020
  • ASSOCIATED PRESS

    Japan's Hayabusa2 probe successfully landed on an asteroid, again (updated)

    Back in February, Japan's second asteroid-exploring spacecraft touched down on the asteroid Ryugu to collect samples that it will bring back to Earth. Tonight, Hayabusa2 is making its final sample collection attempt, where it will try to collect material that was exposed by a crater it created with explosives back in April. It will once again try to quickly land, fire a tantalum bullet into the asteroid's surface and grab some of the dust that gets kicked up -- all in about one second. Assuming all goes well, the plan is to eventually deploy the Minerva II2 rover, and then begin its year-long journey back to Earth around November or December.

    Richard Lawler
    07.10.2019
  • ASSOCIATED PRESS

    Watch the Hayabusa2 probe touch down on asteroid Ryugu

    Back in February, the Hayabusa2 spacecraft touched down on asteroid Ryugu to collect samples for scientists back home. Now, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has released a video of the brief contact between the probe and its target asteroid taken by a small on-board camera. It shows the moment Hayabusa2 fired a bullet into Ryugu's surface to kick up dust and fragments it can grab -- something the probe was supposed to have done back in October 2018 if not for the fact that the asteroid has much bigger gravel than its ground team expected.

    Mariella Moon
    03.06.2019

  • Hayabusa2 probe landing delayed due to rugged asteroid surface

    The Hayabusa2 spacecraft, launched by Japan's space agency JAXA, is currently studying the diamond-shaped asteroid Ryugu. After close examination of the target, a landing site was selected and touchdown for the probe was set for late October. But now, according to Phys.org, JAXA has informed reporters that the probe's deployment to the surface would be delayed until January.

    Swapna Krishna
    10.11.2018
  • JAXA, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, Nagoya University, Chiba Institute of Technology, Meiji University, Aizu University, AIST

    Hayabusa 2 probe snaps a close-up of its asteroid target

    JAXA's Hayabusa 2 has taken the most high-resolution photo of its target asteroid, the 162173 Ryugu, we've ever seen. Unlike previous images that only showed Ryugu from afar, this one shows its surface in detail -- you can clearly see its texture and its lumpy rocks as if you're hovering right above them. The spacecraft's Optical Navigation Camera - Telescopic (ONC-T) snapped the image just as Hayabusa was zooming close to the asteroid to deploy the MINERVA-II1 rovers. ROVER-1A and 1B successfully touched down on the surface of the asteroid and have already started taking photos of their surroundings.

    Mariella Moon
    09.28.2018
  • Hayabusa2@JAXA, Twitter

    Japan's Hayabusa 2 mission lands on target asteroid

    After months of hovering around its target, Japan's Hayabusa 2 mission has made contact. Two of the host spacecraft's landers (ROVER-1A and 1B) have touched down on the surface of the asteroid 162173 Ryugu and have already been hopping around as they take photos (like the one above) and gauge the space rock's temperature. As far as the mission has come, though, it's really just the start.

    Jon Fingas
    09.23.2018
  • JAXA, University of Tokyo and collaborators

    Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa 2 has reached its asteroid target

    At approximately 9:35 AM Japanese Standard Time on June 27th, the JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) spacecraft Hayabusa 2 successfully rendezvoused with its target, the diamond-shaped asteroid 162173 Ryugu. The spacecraft launched on December 3rd, 2014, and has spent the last three and a half years en route. The spacecraft is now just 20 kilometers away from Ryugu.

    Swapna Krishna
    06.27.2018