Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft delivered pristine samples from asteroid Ryugu to Earth in December, but its mission continues. JAXA now targets a new asteroid, recently imaged by the Subaru Telescope.
On December 6, Hayabusa2 returned over two kilograms of Ryugu material—samples untouched for 4.6 billion years. These could unlock insights into solar system formation and the role of carbon-rich asteroids in life's origins on Earth.
After capsule release, the spacecraft avoided Earth's gravity. JAXA redirected it to asteroid 1998 KY26, a 30-meter-diameter rock orbiting between Mars and Earth. This marks the first close study of a fast-rotating asteroid, rendezvous planned for 2031.
The asteroid passed within 0.47 AU of Earth (about 70 million km; 1 AU = Earth-Sun distance) mid-to-late December, a prime viewing window. On December 10, 2020, Subaru Telescope astronomers in Hawaii imaged the faint object at ISAS (JAXA affiliate) request.
These observations refine 1998 KY26's orbit. ESO's Very Large Telescope conducted similar work.
JAXA notes proximity studies aid defenses against Earth-impacting objects of this size. En route, Hayabusa2 will high-speed flyby asteroid 2001 CC21.
Buoyed by success, JAXA's exploration budget quadrupled to €400 million equivalent for next year.
