JAXA · sample return active
Hayabusa2
JAXA's Hayabusa2 blasted a crater on asteroid Ryugu, returned samples to Earth in 2020 and continues to a new target.
- Launch
- 3 December 2014
- Distance from Earth today
- 83.05 million km0.555 AU · light: 4 min 37 s
- Distance from the Sun today
- 158.7 million km1.061 AU
Live distance from Earth and chart →
Trajectory
Trajectory: JPL Horizons vectors (spacecraft -37) every 3 days, projected onto the ecliptic; compressed distance scale.
Mission timeline
- Launch on an H-IIA from Tanegashima
- Earth gravity assist
- Arrival at asteroid Ryugu
- First touchdown and sample collection
- Second touchdown near the artificial crater
- Sample capsule returned to Earth
- Flyby of asteroid 2001 CC21 in the extended mission
- Planned rendezvous with asteroid 1998 KY26
Targets: Ryugu
About the mission
Hayabusa2 reached Ryugu, a dark, spinning-top-shaped asteroid, in June 2018. It dropped small hopping rovers and a lander, then fired a copper projectile into the surface to make an artificial crater, so that it could collect material from below the sun-baked top layer. After two touchdowns it left Ryugu and in December 2020 delivered its capsule to the Australian outback, with pristine samples rich in carbon and water-bearing minerals. The main spacecraft continued on an extended mission, passing asteroid 2001 CC21 in 2026 on its way to the small, fast-rotating asteroid 1998 KY26.