Specialists received fragments weighing about 0.5 grams for further study
TOKYO, December 6. /tass/. Japan handed over to the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) samples of the Ryugu asteroid, which were brought to Earth using the Hayabusa-2 probe (Sokol-2) a year ago. This was reported on Monday by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
It is noted that American specialists, in accordance with the previously concluded agreement, received fragments weighing about 0.5 grams for further study, which is about 10% of the total amount obtained during the space mission. "By sending samples abroad, we hope to confirm the results of our own analysis or get completely new results," Yuichi Tsuda, a representative of JAXA, project manager of Hayabusa-2, said at a press conference.
On December 5, 2020, Hayabusa-2 dropped a capsule with samples from the Ryugu asteroid to Earth, thus completing its six-year expedition to this cosmic body. The capsule successfully landed on the territory of the Woomera forbidden zone in southern Australia, where it was discovered by Japanese specialists.
The diameter of the asteroid Ryugu (yap. "Dragon Palace"), which crosses the orbits of Earth and Mars, is about 900 meters. It belongs to Class C - the most common of the currently studied. In such asteroids there is a large amount of carbon. In addition, water particles can be found on the surface of such bodies, which experts believe can help solve the mystery of the spread of life in the universe.
After dropping the capsule, the probe performed a maneuver to evade the Earth and went on a new expedition to the asteroid 1998 KY26 with a diameter of 30 meters. It is expected that in July 2031, Hayabusa-2 will land on its surface and take soil samples, which may contain particles of water and organic substances.
