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A soil sample capsule lands in Australia (Photo: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) / Brochure via Reuters)
A team of researchers in Australia found a capsule that brought a significant amount of rock from an asteroid to Earth for the first time. According to the scientists, the capsule is in perfect condition.
It is reported by the BBC.
A container of rocks from the asteroid Ryugu parachuted down near the Woomera Cosmodrome in South Australia on Saturday night, December 5. The capsule itself was found on sandy ground and the parachute caught on a tree. The rock samples were collected by the Japanese Hayabusa-2 spacecraft.
The spacecraft has been exploring Ryugu for over a year. It launched a capsule with samples as it approached Earth, after which it entered the atmosphere.
The capsule, which looked like a fireball in the cameras, hurtled towards Earth at a speed of 11 km / s and then deployed parachutes to slow the descent. Then the capsule began to transmit a signal with information about its location.
The Director General of the Japan Institute of Space Science and Astronautics (ISAS), Dr. Hitoshi Kuninaka, said: “We started the development of Hayabusa-2 in 2011. I think the dream has come true.”
Addressing reporters, he admitted that previous missions had technical problems, but noted: “As for Hayabusa-2, we did everything on schedule 100%. And we managed to get samples as planned. As a result, we can move forward.” . to the next stage of space exploration. “
According to the BBC, the next phase includes a mission called MMX, whose objective is to bring samples to Earth from Phobos, the largest satellite on Mars.
