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Japanese spaceship Hayabusa2 returned to Earth after 6 years and 3.3 billion miles. The unmanned mission will leave a capsule containing Ryugu samples.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) dispatched the Hayabusa2 and its attached capsule nearly 6 years ago.
Similar to the United States, Japan is working on a public-private partnership through its own Space Frontier Fund. The SFF is creating more space-focused venture partnerships.
JAXA prepares a reception in Australia
Scientists are gathering in the Australian desert near the town of Woomera in anticipation of the arrival of the Hayabusa2 capsule on December 6. Capsule recovery team members canceled the two-week COVID-19 quarantine. They are working on the Woomera Royal Australian Air Force Base.
The capsule will create a fireball when it falls into the Earth’s atmosphere. Predicted temperatures can reach up to 5,400 degrees Fahrenheit. Then the parachute will deploy for a landing in the Woomera Protected Area. The capsule will send out a radio signal for the recovery team to follow.
The capsule will be collected by helicopter at a Quick Look facility for a safety inspection of any gases in the sample container. Then the sample will be sealed and flown to Japan.
Hayabusa2 Historic Mission
In Japan, scientists will have at least 100 milligrams of Ryugu samples collected from the asteroid’s surface. Ryugu it was once known as 1999 JU3.
This is only the second time a space mission has been able to return a sample of asteroids. JAXA’s first Hayabusa mission returned only a few micrograms of the Itokawa asteroid in 2010.
After dropping its payload in Australia, Hayabusa2’s flight continues to the asteroid (98943) 2001 CC21. It will arrive there in July 2026, then make its way to asteroid 1998 KY26 where it will arrive in July 2031.
Last month, the US spacecraft, OSIRIS-REx collected alien samples from the surface of an asteroid called Bennu. These samples are expected to be returned to earth in 2023.
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