TOKYO (Sputnik) – The re-entry capsule of Japan’s Hayabusa2 asteroid explorer containing samples from asteroid Ryugu will land in Australia on 6 December, as follows from a joint statement of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Australian Space Agency (ASA) published on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the capsule is expected to land in Woomera, South Australia state.
Hayabusa2, which is around 900 meters (half a mile) in diameter, was launched in 2014.
Ryugu, which is almost 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) in diameter, is currently over 300 million kilometers away from Earth. The asteroid is believed to contain water and organic chemicals that may help scientists uncover clues about the origins of terrestrial life.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
