Launched in 2014, JAXA's Hayabusa2 is a spacecraft with a 6-year mission to intercept and sample the Class C asteroid Ryugu-162173, and return samples to Earth. The spacecraft departed Ryugu in December of 2019, and returned samples to Earth December 5, 2020*.
ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration Director Meenakshi Wadhwa is a member of the Hayabusa2 Initial Analysis Team for Chemistry.
For information on watching the live-stream of Hayabusa2's return to Earth, click here!
*December 6, Australia local time.
