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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Watch Hayabusa2's incredible touchdown on asteroid Ryugu
The spacecraft fired a bullet into the surface and unleashed a massive spray of debris.
Hayabusa2 has touched down on Ryugu!
Touchdown occurred at about 22:49 UTC on 21 February, and the spacecraft is healthy.
What to expect when Hayabusa2 collects a sample from Ryugu
More than 4 years after launch and a half year surveying asteroid Ryugu, Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft is ready for sample collection.
Hayabusa2 team sets date for sample collection, considers two touchdown sites
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft will try to collect a sample from asteroid Ryugu during the week of 18 February, mission officials said during a press briefing last week.
Hayabusa2 prepares for holiday break as Sun passes between Earth and asteroid Ryugu
The spacecraft will spend the end of 2018 a safe distance from Ryugu, as the Sun's position makes communications with Earth spotty.
Collecting a sample from asteroid Ryugu is going to be dicey
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft was scheduled to touch down on Ryugu later this month, but that has been delayed to early 2019.
Heiligenschein Throughout the Solar System
When planetary scientist Brittney Cooper was scrolling through the downlinked images of Hayabusa2’s approach of asteroid Ryugu, a familiar sight caught her attention.
MASCOT landing on Ryugu a success
For 17 hours on 3 October, the Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) lander sent data to the waiting Hayabusa2 orbiter from multiple locations on Ryugu.
Japan's asteroid hoppers deliver new batch of incredible images
Pics of Ryugu's surface show loose piles of gravel strewn with larger rocks and boulders.
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft successfully drops rovers on asteroid Ryugu
The two small spacecraft are the size and shape of cheese wheels, and can autonomously hop around the surface.
Hayabusa2 stops short of close approach on first touchdown rehearsal
Hayabusa2 didn’t quite make it down to its intended 60-meter distance from asteroid Ryugu yesterday. There is nothing wrong with the spacecraft; it’s healthy and returning to its home position. The team will adjust parameters and give it another try in the future.
Hayabusa2 prepares to collect samples, leave Planetary Society names on Ryugu
The names were collected by the Society in 2013, and are stored on target markers that will be dropped on the asteroid.
Hayabusa2 Team Announces Ryugu Landing Sites, Initial Science Survey Results
Two months after arrival, the team has reported some preliminary facts about Ryugu. They also announced the selection of candidate landing sites for the spacecraft sample collection, for the German-built MASCOT hopper, and for the MINERVA-II microrovers
Hayabusa2 descends again, this time to lower than 1000 meters above Ryugu
This week Hayabusa2 completed its closest approach yet to asteroid Ryugu. In a successful gravity measurement experiment on August 6, the spacecraft dipped to within 1 kilometer of the asteroid.
A second successful medium-altitude operation for Hayabusa2
For the second time, JAXA navigators have zoomed their cameras and other instruments in on asteroid Ryugu. The August 1 operation was quicker than the previous one, requiring only 26 hours for the descent, science, and ascent.
Hayabusa2 descends from Home Position to take its first close look at Ryugu
Last week, Hayabusa2 approached to within 6000 meters of the surface of Ryugu, taking new photos. The team has developed a set of terminology to describe Hayabusa2's navigational positions around the asteroid.
New goodies from asteroid Ryugu!
Two new global views of Ryugu from Hayabusa2, plus a 3-D animation.
What's the benefit of sample return?
With Hayabusa2 at Ryugu and OSIRIS-REx closing on Bennu, it's the summer of sample return. Why do scientists go to so much trouble for a piece of a another world?
Hayabusa2 arrived at Ryugu, so I can make comparisons of asteroid scales!
On 26 June 2018, Hayabusa2 arrived at its target asteroid, Ryugu. In a very brief status update, I present comparisons of Ryugu to other previously visited asteroids and comets.
Hayabusa2 update: New views of Ryugu and corkscrew course adjustments
Ryugu has continued to grow in Hayabusa2's forward view, resolving into a diamond-shaped body with visible bumps and craters! They've done hazard searches, optical navigation imaging, and measured the rotation rate at 7.6 hours.