Japan's space exploration agency JAXA announced that the capsule containing soil samples from the asteroid "Ryugu" is in perfect condition.

"The sample capsule, which was collected from the surface of Ryugu asteroid by the Hayabusa-2 probe, has returned to Earth in excellent condition, and we look forward to opening it soon, to see its content," said agency spokesman Yuichi Tsuda.

The spokesman pointed out that the probe that collected samples in the capsule moved away from the asteroid with a special maneuver to launch a new space mission, and when it approached a certain distance from the Earth, the capsule separated from it, and at an altitude of about 10,000 meters, parachutes of the capsule opened to descend towards the Earth and land in South Australia on the fifth of This December.

According to Tsuda, Japanese experts will inspect the capsule first to search for traces of gases outside the Earth's range, and then the capsule will be transported to Japan to be opened and its content studied in a special laboratory of the Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA).

The "Hayabusa-2" probe was launched towards the asteroid in 2014 from a space base on the Japanese island of Tanegashima, and during its flight near the asteroid between 2018 and 2019, the probe carried out two successful landings on the surface of the asteroid, and in one of them the probe formed a small crater on The surface of the asteroid to collect samples from the deep layers of the surface, and these samples were placed in the capsule that returned to Earth recently.

Source: Vesti

By:Nadeemy Haded