In order to study the formation of the Solar System, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency launched the unmanned probe "Hayabusa" to reach the asteroid "Itokawa" and collect and return samples in 2003. Despite encountering major incidents such as severe damage, mechanical failure and loss of communication with the control centre, Hayabusa did not fail us. In 2010, its mission was brought to a successful conclusion by returning the collected asteroid samples back to Earth for the first time ever in human history.
Hayabusa's inspirational story attracted public attention and catalysed a follow-on mission called "Hayabusa2". Inheriting the goals and spirit from its predecessor, Hayabusa2 was sent to the asteroid "Ryugu" in 2014 to collect soil samples. These samples might contain water and organic matter, the essential ingredients of life, that could shed light on the origins of life on Earth.
In "HAYABUSA2~REBORN", we follow Hayabusa2 on its lone journey of 3.2 billion kilometres to confront with the more rugged than expected terrain of Ryugu. It was peppered with boulders and rocks several metres in diameter, and left no place for the probe to touch down. Could Hayabusa2 overcome the challenges and bring the samples back to Earth at last?
Image Credit: Hong Kong Space Museum
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