Michael Roston and Kenneth Chang

The operation’s goal was to create a crater on the space rock. If successful, the spacecraft could touch down on the asteroid in the weeks to come, and scoop up samples that could help scientists understand how our planet formed in the early solar system.

Since last year, the Japanese probe, Hayabusa2, has studied the asteroid, Ryugu, with the aim of returning its collected samples to Earth in 2020.

Hayabusa2 began by surveying the object’s surface, and subsequently landed multiple robotic probes on the asteroid’s rocky terrain. In February, Hayabusa2 fired a much smaller projectile into the asteroid’s surface during a brief touchdown, collecting samples from the cloud of debris that the operation kicked up.

Why make a crater on the surface?

Hayabusa2 already has landed briefly on Ryugu’s surface and collected samples. But the surface materials scattered by the bullet-like projectile fired in February have been exposed to the solar system's weather. Studying them offers scientists a potential picture of Ryugu’s surface. But that debris won’t reveal much about the asteroid’s geological history, just as the topsoil in your yard won’t tell you much about what your neighborhood was like during the last ice age.

Making a crater will also offer clues to how asteroids similar to Ryugu respond to being struck by objects.

How will Hayabusa2 make the crater?

Hayabusa2 carried a device called the Small Carry-on Impactor. Unlike the small tantalum projectile that was fired at the asteroid in February as the spacecraft touched down on the surface, the impactor device detached from the spacecraft. That allowed the probe to race to the other side of Ryugu and avoid damage from the anticipated explosion or the resulting debris.

The impactor was made of copper. According to the Planetary Society, a funnel containing plastic explosive was to hurl the copper projectile into the asteroid’s surface, making a crater that could be as large as about 30 feet wide. The spacecraft also launched a small camera that attempted to record the explosion.

Before scientists elect to have the spacecraft collect samples from the crater, which would happen some weeks from now, they will make sure the landing conditions are safe. If not, they will collect measurements of the crater using instruments aboard Hayabusa2.

Why are scientists studying this asteroid?

Asteroids are bits and pieces leftover from the disk of gas and dust that formed around the young sun and never quite coalesced into a planet. They contain some almost pristine compounds that help tell what the early solar system was like 4.5 billion years ago.

Ryugu, as dark as coal, is a C-type, or carbonaceous, asteroid, meaning it is full of carbon molecules known as organics including possibly amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Such molecules are not always associated with biology and can form from chemical reactions in deep space, but asteroids could have seeded Earth with the organic matter that led to life.

About three-quarters of asteroids in the solar system fall into the C-type.

This space rock was discovered in 1999 and not given a name until 2015. Ryugu is named after Ryugu-jo, or dragon’s palace — a magical undersea palace in a Japanese folk tale.

Isn’t NASA doing something like this, too?

Yes. The OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft is currently surveying another carbon-rich asteroid known as Bennu, and it too will collect samples and return them to Earth. Bennu is even smaller than Ryugu, about 500 yards wide. OSIRIS-rex will not return with its samples until 2023. Early research results announced last month also revealed that Bennu is more rugged than expected, and that it is shooting rocks from its surface into space.

NASA and Japanese scientists plan to exchange samples of the two asteroids to compare the similarities and differences.

Has Japan done this before?

As the 2 in Hayabusa2 indicates, this is the second time that JAXA, the Japanese space agency, has sent a spacecraft to an asteroid.

Hayabusa2 is an improved version of Hayabusa, which visited a stony asteroid, Itokawa, in 2005. Despite several technical problems at Itokawa, Hayabusa returned a capsule to Earth in 2010 containing 1,500 particles from the asteroid.

This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/science/hayabusa2-ryugu-crater.html" id="aaf30031-ab92-3141-a424-ed8914be5786">The New York Times</a>.

A Japanese space mission that has been studying an asteroid not far from Earth on Thursday night (Friday in Japan) attempted to fire a copper projectile at its surface. While the detonation of the explosive was not yet confirmed, the spacecraft’s other operations were successful.

For Deeper Insights, Japanese Space Mission Released Bomb to Make a Crater on an Asteroid

The goal is to create a crater on the space rock. If successful, the spacecraft could touch down on the asteroid in the weeks to come, and scoop up samples that could help scientists understand how our planet formed in the early solar system.

The spacecraft has already started its descent toward Ryugu’s surface, and is regularly sending photos from the maneuver back to Earth. The probe was scheduled to release the explosive device at 10:13 p.m. Eastern Time, and the explosive crater should exist by 10:53 p.m. Japan’s space agency, JAXA, will stream coverage from the Hayabusa2 control room during the operation.

Hayabusa2 already has landed briefly on Ryugu’s surface and collected samples. But the materials scattered by the bullet-like projectile fired in February now have been exposed to the solar system's weather. Studying them offers scientists a potential picture of Ryugu’s surface. But that debris won’t reveal much about the asteroid’s geological history, just as the topsoil in your yard won’t tell you much about what your neighborhood was like during the last ice age.

Hayabusa2 is carrying a device called the Small Carry-on Impactor. Unlike the small tantalum projectile that was fired at the asteroid in February as the spacecraft touched down on the surface, the impactor device will detach from the spacecraft. That will allow the probe to race to the other side of Ryugu and avoid damage from the explosion or the resulting debris.

The impactor is made of copper. According to the Planetary Society, a funnel containing plastic explosive will hurl the copper projectile into the asteroid’s surface, making a crater that could be as large as about 30 feet wide. The spacecraft also will launch a small camera that will attempt to record the explosion.

Asteroids are bits and pieces leftover from the disc of gas and dust that formed around the young sun and never quite coalesced into a planet. They contain some almost pristine compounds that help tell what the early solar system was like 4.5 billion years ago.

A Japanese space mission that has been studying an asteroid not far from Earth will try Thursday night (Friday in Japan) to fire a copper projectile at its surface.

How Do You Make a Crater on an Asteroid? A Japanese Spacecraft Will Try With a Bomb Tonight

Since last year, Hayabusa2, the Japanese probe, has been studying the asteroid called Ryugu. It surveyed the object’s surface, and in the following months landed multiple robotic probes on its rocky terrain. All that work was done to support the aim of Thursday’s operation (Friday in Japan) where it attempted to collect samples from Ryugu’s surface and later bring them home to Earth. Other attempts could be made in the near future.

What did Hayabusa2 do when it landed?

Hayabusa2 tried to collect material from the rugged surface of the asteroid with a device called a sampler horn.

To make small enough fragments, the spacecraft would have fired a projectile made of the metal tantalum — basically a bullet — at the asteroid’s surface. Earlier this month, the mission’s managers reported their simulation of this procedure on Earth to demonstrate that it would be able to succeed.

The landing and attempted collection didn’t take long — about one second, according to the Planetary Society. Hayabusa2 then rose from the surface and began its return to a safe distance near Ryugu.

The spacecraft is carrying multiple projectiles so it can make more than one attempt at a touchdown. In March or April, Hayabusa2 is also expected to send an explosive package called a Small Carry-on Impactor to Ryugu’s surface to make an artificial crater. Hayabusa2 might collect another sample of the material exposed in the crater.

Why are they studying this asteroid?

Ryugu, as dark as coal, is a C-type, or carbonaceous, asteroid, meaning it is full of carbon molecules known as organics, including possibly amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Such molecules are not always associated with biology and can form from chemical reactions in deep space, but asteroids could have seeded Earth with the organic matter that led to life.

Yes. The Osiris-Rex spacecraft is surveying another carbon-rich asteroid known as Bennu, and it too will collect samples and return them to Earth. Bennu is even smaller than Ryugu, about 500 yards wide. Osiris-Rex will not return with its samples until 2023.

This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/science/ryugu-asteroid-hayabusa2.html" id="703dff95-18ee-38d2-a5e9-d8cee14b5f7c">The New York Times</a>.

A Japanese spacecraft on Thursday completed a touchdown on the surface of an asteroid, where it fired a bullet at the rock’s surface rock. A successful mission could help advance understanding of how our planet formed in the early solar system.

Japan's Hayabusa2 Spacecraft Lands on Ryugu Asteroid

In June, Hayabusa2, the Japanese probe, crept up on an asteroid called Ryugu. It surveyed the object’s surface, and in the following months landed multiple robotic probes on its rocky terrain. All that work was done to support the aim of collecting samples from Ryugu’s surface and later bringing them home to Earth. On Thursday (it will be Friday in Japan), the probe will make its first of a series of attempts to touch down on the asteroid’s surface.

When will the spacecraft land on the asteroid, and how can I follow it?

The spacecraft, which is now descending toward Ryugu, will land around 6:25 p.m. Eastern time Thursday (8:25 a.m. Friday in Japan). JAXA, the Japanese space agency, will stream coverage of the event with English-language translations on its YouTube channel. Its English-language Twitter account is also providing updates.

You can also watch an animated simulation of the spacecraft’s approach.

What will Hayabusa2 do when it lands?

Hayabusa2 will collect material from the rugged surface of the asteroid with a device called a sampler horn.

To make small enough fragments, the spacecraft will fire a projectile made of the metal tantalum — basically a bullet — at the asteroid’s surface. Earlier this month, the mission’s managers reported their simulation of this procedure on Earth to demonstrate that it would be able to succeed.

The landing and collection won’t take long — about one second, according to the Planetary Society. Then Hayabusa2 will rise from the surface and return to a safe distance near Ryugu.

The spacecraft will be able to cancel its landing should it detect a problem on the boulder-strewn surface that would threaten its success. It is also carrying multiple projectiles so it can make more than one attempt at a touchdown. In March or April, Hayabusa2 is also expected to send an explosive package called a Small Carry-on Impactor to Ryugu’s surface to make an artificial crater. Hayabusa2 might collect another sample of the material exposed in the crater.

On Thursday night, a Japanese spacecraft will try to fire a bullet at a giant rock in space. If it succeeds, it could help advance understanding of how our planet formed in the early solar system.

Follow Hayabusa2's Landing on the Ryugu Asteroid

<h1>When last we checked in with Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft in April, it had blown a crater in a large rock that orbits the sun. On Wednesday night (Thursday morning in Japan), the robotic probe went in for a landing, and appeared to have successfully touched down on the asteroid’s surface.</h1>

Hayabusa2 was launched in 2014 to collect samples from Ryugu, an asteroid that orbits the sun between Earth and Mars and has a diameter of just more than a half mile. By returning to Earth next year with these specimens, the mission will help scientists seek clues about the solar system’s origins.

Earlier in the year, the spacecraft used explosives and a projectile to liberate rock from beneath the asteroid’s outer layers. In the latest operation, it descended to the surface of the asteroid before 9:30 p.m. Eastern time, attempting to swiftly grab a sample of material from the crater it made.

While the brief landing and return to a safe position above Ryugu appeared to be successful, the mission’s managers have not yet confirmed whether the spacecraft collected the sample it sought.

— Why are scientists studying this asteroid?

Asteroids are bits and pieces leftover from the disc of gas and dust that formed around the young sun and never quite coalesced into a planet. They contain some almost pristine compounds that help tell what the solar system was like 4.5 billion years ago.

— Why did Japan blow a crater in Ryugu?

Hayabusa2 already landed briefly on Ryugu’s surface, in February, and collected samples. But these surface materials have been exposed to the solar system’s weather. Studying them offers scientists a potential picture of Ryugu’s surface. But that debris will not reveal much about the asteroid’s geological history, just as the topsoil in your yard won’t tell you much about what your neighborhood was like during the last ice age.

Making a crater will offer clues to how asteroids similar to Ryugu respond to being struck by objects.

To create the dent in Ryugu, Hayabusa2 carried an impactor made of copper. According to the Planetary Society, a funnel containing plastic explosives hurled the copper projectile into the asteroid’s surface. The blast scattered material above the asteroid, altering an area with a diameter of just more than 30 feet and creating a crater with a depth of about 6 to 10 feet. The impact also darkened the region and caused some boulders to move.

— How did Hayabusa2 land on the asteroid?

To collect material from the surface of the asteroid, Hayabusa2 targeted a small patch about 65 feet from the crater it created, not within the crater itself. The mission’s scientists think this spot is covered in material ejected from beneath the crater when the blast occurred.

The spacecraft tried to pull samples in through a device called a sampler horn, after firing a small projectile made of the metal tantalum — basically a bullet — at the asteroid’s surface. The landing, bullet firing and attempted collection took about one second, according to the Planetary Society. Hayabusa2 then rose from the surface and return to a safe distance near Ryugu.

Hayabusa2 already did this once in February. Because of that successful operation, the mission’s managers in Japan had to assess whether it was worth risking the spacecraft again.

After the spacecraft made low-altitude observations of the landing area in the first half of June, the team concluded that conditions were safe enough for a second landing, and that the scientific value of collecting subsurface materials from the asteroid merited the try.

— Isn’t NASA doing something like this too?

Yes. The Osiris-Rex spacecraft is surveying a carbon-rich asteroid known as Bennu, and it too will collect samples and return them to Earth (although it will not be making any craters on Bennu’s surface). Bennu is even smaller than Ryugu, about 500 yards wide. Osiris-Rex will not return with its samples until 2023. Early research results announced in March also revealed that Bennu is more rugged than expected, and that it is shooting rocks from its surface into space.

— Has Japan done this before?

This article originally appeared in <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/science/hayabusa2-ryugu-asteroid-japan.html" link="null" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>.

It blasted an asteroid, now this Japanese spacecraft will inspect its work

Hayabusa2 was launched in 2014 to collect samples from Ryugu, an asteroid that orbits the sun between Earth and Mars and has a diameter of just more than a half mile. By returning to Earth next year with these specimens, the mission will help scientists seek clues about the solar system’s origins.

<h1>A Japanese spacecraft Thursday completed a touchdown on the surface of an asteroid, where it fired a projectile at the rock’s surface rock. A successful mission could help advance understanding of how our planet formed in the early solar system.</h1>

What did Hayabusa2 do when it landed?

To make small enough fragments, the spacecraft fired a projectile made of the metal tantalum — basically a bullet — at the asteroid’s surface. Earlier this month, the mission’s managers reported their simulation of this procedure on Earth to demonstrate that it would be able to succeed.

The landing, bullet firing and attempted collection didn’t take long — about one second, according to the Planetary Society. Hayabusa2 then rose from the surface and began its return to a safe distance near Ryugu.

Why are they studying this asteroid?

Isn’t NASA doing something like this, too?

Has Japan done this before?

This article originally appeared in <a id="2010c1c0-8437-4e12-9c5a-c2867f2c0645" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/21/science/ryugu-asteroid-hayabusa2.html">The New York Times</a>.

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft lands on Ryugu asteroid

Since last year, Hayabusa2, the Japanese probe, has been studying the asteroid called Ryugu.

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