162173 Ryugu
Asteroid Samples Returned to Earth Were Immediately Colonized by Bacteria
There is no place you can go on Earth that hasn't been colonized by bacteria, from the bottom of the…
Tiny Fragments of a 4-Billion Year Old Asteroid Reveal Its History
In June 2018, Japan's Hayabusa 2 mission reached asteroid 162173 Ryugu. It studied the asteroid for about 15 months, deploying…
Why are Rubble Pile Asteroids Shaped Like Diamonds?
Scientists are fortunate enough to have detailed, close-up views of the near-Earth asteroids Bennu and Ryugu. Both asteroids have a…
Japan’s Hayabusa 2 Probe Drops Off Bits of an Asteroid and Heads for Its Next Target
Japan's Hayabusa 2 probe zoomed past Earth on December 5th and dropped off a capsule containing bits of an asteroid,…
It’s Time for Hayabusa-2 to Come Home
Japan's Hayabusa 2 spacecraft is on its way home. The asteroid-visiting, sample-return mission departed asteroid Ryugu (162173 Ryugu) on Wednesday,…
Hayabusa 2 Has Sent its Last Rover to Ryugu
Japan's Hayabusa 2 mission to asteroid Ryugu has reached one of its final milestones, if not its climax. The sample-return…
Hayabusa 2 has one Last Lander it’s Going to Throw at Ryugu
JAXA recently released photos of their Hayabusa2 mission deploying target markers to the surface of the asteroid Ryugu.
Asteroid Ryugu is a “Fragile Rubble Pile”
When Japan's Hayabusa 2 spacecraft arrived at asteroid Ryugu in June 2018, it carried four small rovers with it. Hayabusa…
Here’s the Video of Hayabusa2 Bombing Asteroid Ryugu
Japan's recently shared a video of the crater their Hayabusa2 spacecraft created on the surface of Ryugu.
Hayabusa2 Fires an Anti-Tank Warhead at Asteroid Ryugu
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft recently struck the asteroid Ryugu with an explosive payload, which will help it collect samples that could…