Capsule with clues about solar system’s origins tumbles towards Earth
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A spacecraft has sent a capsule tumbling towards earth, carrying samples from an asteroid that could contain clues to the origin of the solar system, Japan’s space agency has said.
The capsule – just 15 inches (40cm) in diameter – detached from the Hayabusa2 craft 136,700 miles (220,000km) from Earth, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said.
A handout photo made available by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on 05 December 2020 shows JAXA staff members celebrating after a capsule successfully separated from the space probe Hayabusa2.. EPA-EFE/JAXA HANDOUT VIA JIJI PRESS
The subsurface samples it is carrying – the first ever to be collected from an asteroid – may contain information about life on our planet.
It is believed the data may be unaffected by space radiation and other environmental factors.
The capsule is due to land in a sparsely populated area of Woomera, Australia, on Sunday.
Main Photo: A handout photo made available by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on 05 December 2020 shows a computer-generated image of the separation of a capsule (L) from the space probe Hayabusa2 (R). EPA-EFE/JAXA HANDOUT JAXA
