The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), has embarked on a groundbreaking mission to explore the asteroid 1999 JU3, more popularly known as Ryugu. As part of the Hayabusa 2 mission, launched in December 2014, JAXA plans to create a crater on the asteroid surface for the purpose of collecting underground samples.
Understanding Asteroids: More than Just Space Debris
While most people regard asteroids as minor planets or space debris, they play a crucial part in our understanding of the universe. Situated in direct orbit around the Sun, asteroids are not classified as either planet or comet. The larger specimens occasionally earn the label ‘planetoids’.
Hayabusa 2: A Leap in Space Exploration
Launched in December 2014, the Hayabusa 2 is a six-year mission that builds upon the groundwork laid by its predecessor, the original Hayabusa mission. After arriving at Ryugu in July 2018, Hayabusa 2 will spend 18 months studying the asteroid, before making its journey back to Earth in December 2020.
The original Hayabusa mission, launched in 2003, managed a successful rendezvous with the asteroid Itokawa in 2005 and returned to earth in 2010. This marked the historic first occasion of an asteroid’s sample materials being safely brought back to Earth.
| Mission | Launch Date | Asteroid Visited | Return Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayabusa | May, 2003 | Itokawa | June, 2010 |
| Hayabusa 2 | December, 2014 | Ryugu | Expected December, 2020 |
The Importance of Studying Asteroids
One might wonder why significant efforts and resources are being invested in asteroid exploration missions. The answer lies in their primitive nature. Asteroids and comets can be thought of as the solar system’s building blocks. Containing unaltered materials from the birth and initial evolution of the solar system, they provide a veritable time capsule for scientists to study.
Compared to larger planets like Earth which underwent complex evolutions altering their pristine materials, comets and asteroids hold onto their original form. This allows them to retain a detailed record of when, where, and in what conditions they were formed. Therefore, exploration of these celestial bodies is fundamental for gaining valuable insights into the formation of our Solar System.