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TOKYO – The Japanese space probe Hayabusa2 managed to shoot a domed projectile on an asteroid during the first attempt at artificial formation of a crater to see what lies beneath the surface, in the hope to illuminate the evolution of the solar system and life.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, announced this milestone on Friday. The "Small Cabin Impactor" was released around 11:00 AM JST and reached the Ryugu asteroid about 40 minutes later. A distant camera captured a cloud of dust on the surface that confirmed a blow.
"We have put in place a new method of space exploration," said Yuichi Tsuda, mission project manager.
Hayabusa2 will confirm by the end of April if a crater has been successfully created. It could land on the asteroid as early as the month of May.
The goal was to create an indentation of several meters for observation and collection of samples. Researchers seek to discover protected layers of radiation from space by searching for organic compounds and water.
If successful, Hayabusa2 would be the first probe to report underground samples of an asteroid to Earth. The costs generated by its return at the end of 2020 are expected to total 28.9 billion yen ($ 259 million).
The global mission has helped to build Japanese capabilities in space. As part of the last maneuver, Hayabusa2 moved to the side of the asteroid opposed to the collision and recorded the impact via a remote camera.
"We can now control the probes exactly as we wish, which opens up many perspectives for new missions in space," said Takashi Kubota, research director at the Institute of Space and Astronautics Science. of JAXA.
The US space agency NASA plans to land its Osiris-Rex probe on the asteroid Bennu in 2020. It does not have the intention of creating a crater there – a unique approach to Japan for the moment. Even observing the Ryugu crater in orbit would be a significant scientific feat.
Japan has fallen behind the United States and Russia in sounding the moon but has found a place in asteroids. He wants to build on his latest success to continue to dominate the world in this area.
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