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Japan's Hayabusa2 probe completes flyby of Torifune asteroid
nhk.or.jp • • general
Key Points:
- Japan's space probe Hayabusa2 successfully completed a flyby observation of the Torifune asteroid as part of its extended mission, confirming the operation was completed without incident.
- The flyby occurred at around 6:30 p.m. Japan time, with the probe approaching as close as 800 meters from the asteroid's center while traveling at 5 kilometers per second.
- Hayabusa2's extended mission began in 2020 after delivering samples from the Ryugu asteroid to Earth, and it is expected to reach its final target asteroid in 2031.
- JAXA plans to release images captured during the flyby and provide detailed results at a news conference, highlighting efforts to develop precise probe control technology for planetary defense.
- The mission aims to contribute to planetary defense by improving techniques to maneuver probes near asteroids and potentially alter their trajectories to prevent future Earth collisions.
