Μετά από έξι χρόνια και εκατομμύρια μίλια ταξιδιού, η κάψουλα με δείγμα του αστεροειδούς Ryugou προσγειώθηκε στη Γη.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) has successfully completed the Mission της να φέρει ένα κομμάτι του Ryugu asteroid back to Earth. A capsule carrying the sample was disconnected from the spacecraft Hyabusa2, when it was 130.000 miles from Earth, then landed by parachute and recovered on a remote region of Australiaon Saturday.
According to one NPR report , this is the first time that scientists will be able to examine a sample of asteroids whose structure has not been altered or destroyed, through the hot process of entering the Earth's atmosphere. Since space rocks (like Ryugu) are what eventually become planets, the ability to study this sample could provide clues as to how the Earth was formed and the creation itself.
The sample is now in a laboratory in Australia, where scientists have already extracted and studied the gas surrounding organic matter.
This priceless specimen is really small: It weighs about one gram in total. However, size doesn't always matter. THE collection is the result of a six-year mission around Ryugu, a mile-wide asteroid that orbits the sun between Earth and Mars.
JAXA launched Hyabusa2 in 2014. It then spent three and a half years orbiting the sun to get into position. He arrived in Ryugu in 2018 and did two travel on its surface. To return the sample, Hyabusa2 came within 130.000 miles of Earth, and then the capsule detached to land in Australia. Hyabusa2 is now on its way to another asteroid. Nice trip!
