asteroids
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Hayabusa2’s Mission To Touch Down On The Asteroid Ryugu Has Been Delayed Until 2019
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has delayed the touchdown of the main section of the Hayabusa2 probe on the asteroid Ryugu from this month until January 2019, Nature reported, after mission scientists determined that the Ryugu’s surface is rougher than expected and the landing needs more planning time.
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The Hayabusa2 Rovers Just Made A Movie On The Surface Of An Asteroid
Japan’s MINERVA-II rovers have sent back a batch of new photos from Ryugu, including a stunning new video taken from the asteroid’s rocky surface.
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Mission To Slam Spacecraft Into Asteroid Has Begun Final Design And Construction
A mission to deflect asteroids that might threaten Earth has begun its final design and assembly phase, according to a news release. NASA is testing a technique meant to protect the planet from an impending asteroid strike, and it’s a satisfyingly simple one: They’re gonna slam the ship into the rock.
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Earth’s Undetected ‘Mini-Moons’ Could Make For Exciting New Astronomy
Every once in a while, our planet captures a “mini-moon”, a tiny asteroid that hangs out in our orbit for a bit before venturing back into the depths of space. New research suggests these small, temporary natural satellites carry tremendous scientific and commercial opportunities — but the trick will be in finding them.