Researchers hope that Ryugu asteroid samples will shed light on the origin of the solar system.
A probe aimed at exploring an asteroid is expected to land on a rock at the end of this month. Chances are that his research will help shed light on the origin of the solar system.
The Japanese space agency JAXA said that the probe Hayabusa-2 will land on the asteroid Ryugu on February 22 at 8:00 local time. The location and the choice of landing method are already defined, so now the team is doing everything possible to avoid mistakes.
The announcement was made after the landing was postponed for several months in October. Then they said that the researchers needed more time to prepare for planting, since the data showed an uneven surface. Scientists receive information from other devices deployed on the surface of the asteroid. In October 2018, JAXA successfully planted a 10-kilogram observational robot MASCOT. It can load images from different wavelengths, study minerals with a microscope, measure surface temperature and magnetic fields.
Hayabusa-2 in size resembles a large refrigerator with solar panels.
The mission cost 260 million dollars and started in December 2014. On the Earth should return already with samples in 2020. In the photos, the asteroid Ryugu resembles a rhombus with a rough surface.
It is hoped that the delivered samples will help answer fundamental questions about life and the universe.
