The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) reported a successful detonation on the surface of the asteroid Ryugu on Friday.
The purpose of the explosion, carried out with the help of a special block, which is a copper projectile weighing 2 kg with explosives, which was sent from the Hayabusa-2 automatic interplanetary station, was to create a round crater. At its bottom, Japanese scientists plan to collect rock samples that can give insight into the formation of the solar system.
In conditions of extremely low gravity on the asteroid after the explosion, a large plume of dust and stones will rise. A few weeks later, when it settles, a probe will land on the asteroid in May to collect soil samples in the region of the formed crater.
The Hayabusa 2 mission started in 2014. Japanese scientists have set the task of using it to obtain soil samples of a class C asteroid, the diameter of which is slightly less than a kilometer, which will subsequently be delivered to Earth for detailed analysis. As expected, the Hayabusa-2 probe will go back to Earth with soil samples at the end of 2019. Landing "Hayabusa-2", according to the schedule, will take place at the end of next year.
Source: 3dnews.ru