Japan to drop an explosive on a distant asteroid to make a crater and then collect underground samples for possible clues to the origin of the solar system.
FILE - In this Feb. 22, 2019, file photo, this image released by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency shows the shadow, center above, of the Hayabusa2 spacecraft after its successful touchdown on the asteroid Ryugu. Japan's space agency says its Hayabusa2 spacecraft will follow up last month's touchdown on a distant asteroid with another risky mission — to drop an explosive to make a crater and collect underground samples to get possible clues to the origin of the solar system.
The mission will require the spacecraft to move quickly to the other side of the asteroid so it won't get hit by flying shards from the blast, JAXA project engineer Takanao Saeki said. "It will be very challenging." A day before the mission, Hayabusa2 will start descending to the asteroid from its home position of 20 kilometers away. It will drop a cone-shaped piece of equipment containing explosives that will blast off a copper plate on its bottom. That will turn into a ball and slam into the asteroid at 2 kilometers per second.
JAXA plans to have Hayabusa2 briefly land in the crater, but agency researcher Takashi Kubota said they may prioritize safety for the spacecraft and not do so. If it is successful, it would be the first time for a spacecraft to take materials from underground, Kubota said.
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