Origin of Life From Asteroids? Japan's Spacecraft Hayabusa 2 is Arriving at Asteroid Ryugu to Find Out

In the constant search to figure out life in the outer space, now Japanese have sent a spacecraft on an asteroid called Ryugu. The asteroid is 300 million kilometres from Earth and the spacecraft took three and a half years to get there. Ryugu is tiny asteroid between Earth and the Mars. The spacecraft was blasted off in December 2014 on a mission to take samples that scientists will use to find out how life probably began. The round-trip of the mission will take 6 years.

A spokesman for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) told a news conference, "Everything has gone as planned. The probe has arrived at the asteroid." The spacecraft will spend some more months orbiting 20km above the asteroid and map the surface before landing. Then small explosives to blast a crater will be created on the surface and collect the debris. It is said that asteroids were formed at the dawn of the solar system. So scientists have expressed a possibility thet Ryugu may have some organic matter which could contribute to studying more about the evolvement of Earth.

Hayabusa 2 is about the size of a fridge and flanked by large solar panels, It will use its cameras and other sensors to develop a three-dimensional picture of the rotating asteroid. The probe's safe landing was a reason of joy in the control room. One of the officials has said, "We're mostly relieved, but now there's tension as to whether the main mission will go well," one official said. Hayabusa 2 will spend 18 months according to the plan and return back to the Earth by the end of 2020. The first Hayabusa was sent to collect the material but was unable to collect the samples as expected.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 27, 2018 03:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).