Quote:
Originally Posted by John W
Japanese Space probe has landed at Woomera Dec 6th…. By John Wilkinson
A capsule containing rocks from an asteroid has landed near Woomera in South Australia on Sunday December 6, 2020. This event will mark the end of a six-year mission for the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Hayabusa2 was launched in December 2014 to study the asteroid Ryugu and collect samples to bring to Earth for analysis. When the spacecraft arrived at the asteroid in June 2018, it deployed two rovers and a small lander onto the surface. These were the first rovers ever to operate on an asteroid. Hayabusa2 then fired an impactor into the asteroid in February 2019 to create an artificial crater. This allowed the spacecraft to collect a sample from beneath the surface of the asteroid.
After Hayabusa2 dropped the capsule it continued into deep space. As about half of the fuel (xenon) for the ion engine is expected to remain at this time, the explorer will continue on to a new mission – to visit a very small asteroid called 1998 KY26. At only 30m across, it was a world-first to rendezvous with this type of asteroid. As large meteorites that are likely to impact the earth, are believed to be the same type of asteroid as 1998 KY26, knowing its characteristics are therefore very important for planetary defence.
Latest update after landing confirmed:
<https://www.space.com/japan-hayabusa2-asteroid-samples-land-australia>
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Hayabusa2 then fired an impactor into the asteroid in February 2019 to create an artificial crater. Is it allowed to harm space objects? As far as I know, there is an agreement signed in the 60s according to which any of the countries are not permitted to make any changes to space objects. According to the treaty, outer space is intended only for peaceful use and scientific research.