First sequence from the surface of an asteroid

On September 21, a Japanese spacecraft released two rover robots on the surface of the Ryugu asteroid. The pair of robotic vehicles, Rover-1A and Rover-1B, successfully landed on the asteroid a day later and began returning high resolution images and data from its surface. The data also includes a spectacular sequence depicting the world's first film shot from the surface of an asteroid. The video was captured on September 23 and shows a breathtaking view of Ryugu's rugged rocky terrain.

Ryugu is a primitive asteroid 1 km in diameter located 300 million kilometers from the Earth. The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 arrived at this asteroid on June 27 after traveling three and a half years in space. The probe will explore the asteroid over the next 18 months. The analysis of this primitive space rock could lead to a better understanding of the origins of the solar system.

Rover-1B managed to shoot a movie on Ryugu's surface! The film has 15 images taken on September 23, 2018 from 10:34 – 11:48 JST. Enjoy the "position" on the surface of this asteroid! [6/6] pic.twitter.com/57avmjvdVa– HAYABUSA2 @ JAXA (@ haya2e_jaxa) September 27, 2018

Hayabusa2 is designed to study the surface of the asteroid by releasing tiny robots. MINERVA-II1 consists of two robotic robots that now monitor the physical characteristics of the asteroid. The other MINERVA-II2 aircraft is expected to land on the asteroid Ryugu next year. MINERVA-II1 is the first rover in the world to reach an asteroid and the first to capture images of an asteroid surface.

"I can not find words to say how pleased I am that we were able to perform a mobile exploration on the surface of an asteroid," said Yuichi Tsuda, project manager Hayabusa2, "I'm proud that Hayabusa2 contributed to the creation of this technology for a new method of space exploration by surface movement on small bodies ".

This image was taken just before the jump of Rover-1B. Photo taken 23 September 2018 at 09h46 JST [2/6] pic.twitter.com/m8S3cyYFq6– HAYABUSA2 @ JAXA (@ haya2e_jaxa) September 27, 2018

The Japanese space probe will also collect samples of the asteroid and bring them back to Earth in December 2020. To collect samples, Hayabusa2 will use an "impactor" that will explode over the asteroid and produce a crater on its surface. Hayabusa2 is the successor to the first JAXA Asteroid Explorer, Hayabusa, who returned to Earth in 2010 with dust samples from the Itokawa asteroid.