# Japan brings back part of asteroid for research

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-brings-back-part-of-asteroid-for-research/927365>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 6, 2020, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-brings-back-part-of-asteroid-for-research/927365 "2020-12-06T04:44:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-brings-back-part-of-asteroid-for-research/927365/1 "2020-12-06T04:44:06Z")

</div>

Probe was launched in 2014

> **[Japan's Hayabusa2 mission delivers the first subsurface asteroid samples to...](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/watch-japan-hayabusa2-mission-deliver-ryugu-asteroid-samples-earth-live-stream-today-2020-12-05/)**
>
> A capsule containing the rock samples created a stunning fireball across the sky before landing in the Australian outback on Saturday.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-brings-back-part-of-asteroid-for-research/927365/2 "2020-12-06T05:13:28Z")

</div>

Thanks for that. I’d entirely forgotten about it, and it’s nice having a bit of news that’s not The Two Big Topics.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-brings-back-part-of-asteroid-for-research/927365/3 "2020-12-06T06:09:08Z")

</div>

AP article as well:

> **[Japan's capsule with asteroid samples retrieved in Australia](https://apnews.com/article/solar-system-tokyo-asteroids-planets-japan-ec7cab3c3297f193b5874125c9bd7355)**
>
> TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese capsule carrying the world's first asteroid subsurface samples shot across the night atmosphere early Sunday before landing in the remote Australian Outback, completing a mission to provide clues to the origin of the solar...

Congratulations to the Hayabusa2 team & to the JAEA; well done!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-brings-back-part-of-asteroid-for-research/927365/4 "2020-12-06T17:58:08Z")

</div>

Within a year they will be reproducing it except in a smaller size and it will drive on the wrong side of the Milky Way.

Seriously, congrats to the effort. It will be great if they find something unexpected.