Japan Space Probe Skims Asteroid in Test for Planetary Defense
JAXA said the probe flew within 800 meters of Torifune and captured images as part of its planetary defense technology tests.
- On Sunday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency confirmed that Hayabusa2 successfully completed a flyby of asteroid Torifune, executing a critical test of spacecraft navigation technology for planetary defense missions.
- Seeking to acquire technology for planetary defense, JAXA designed this mission to assess whether scientists could precisely control the probe's trajectory near asteroids at high speed without collision.
- Traveling at more than 18,000 kilometres per hour, Hayabusa2 approached within 800 meters of Torifune to capture images while maintaining control throughout the high-speed encounter.
- JAXA reported the spacecraft is working normally following the successful flyby, with the agency planning to release detailed results and images at a news conference on Monday.
- Hayabusa2 continues toward its final 2031 destination, the 11-meter-wide asteroid 1998 KY26, though astronomer Toni Santana-Ros warned the object's rapid rotation and tiny size will make the encounter significantly more challenging.
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Japan Secures Technology to Prevent Earth-Asteroid Collision... Second After the U.S. Japanese media reported on the 6th that the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully demonstrated Planetary Defense technology, designed to prevent asteroid collisions with Earth, on the 5th. Until now, this technology
The Japanese Hayabusa2 probe successfully completed one of the most challenging maneuvers of its mission, passing just about 1 kilometer from the Torifune asteroid. The approach, carried out at a speed of approximately 5.25...
Japan's Hayabusa2 probe completes flyby of Torifune asteroid
Japan's space probe Hayabusa2 has completed a flyby observation of an asteroid as it heads for its next destination in space. The probe delivered a capsule of samples to Earth from another asteroid six years ago.
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