Hayabusa2 spacecraft flies close to 'peanut-shaped' asteroid Torifune

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft, renowned for its sample return mission from asteroid Ryugu, has successfully conducted a close-proximity flyby of another asteroid, Torifune. The maneuver took place on July 5th, approximately 100 million kilometers from Earth, with Hayabusa2 passing within 800 meters of Torifune at a relative speed of 5 kilometers per second.

During the flyby, Hayabusa2 captured high-resolution images and collected scientific data, which is currently being transmitted back to Earth. The images reveal Torifune to be a binary asteroid, possessing a distinctive peanut-like shape with two connected lobes. It measures approximately 450 meters in diameter and is covered in various-sized rocks. The asteroid has a rotation period of 5 hours and orbits the sun every 383 days.

Torifune belongs to the Apollo group of near-Earth asteroids, whose orbits cross Earth's path, classifying it as a potentially hazardous object. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) utilized both optical and thermal infrared cameras to study Torifune's surface characteristics. Analysis indicated significant temperature differences between sunlit areas and shadowed regions.

Launched in 2014, Hayabusa2's primary mission involved collecting samples from Ryugu and returning them to Earth in 2020. The Ryugu samples yielded significant findings, including the discovery of five types of nucleobases, essential components of genetic material like DNA and RNA. Following the Ryugu mission, Hayabusa2 embarked on its secondary objective.

The current close flyby of Torifune is part of this extended mission. Hayabusa2's ultimate destination is the asteroid 1998 KY26, which it is scheduled to reach in November 2031. This target asteroid is notably small, measuring only 11 meters in diameter, making it the smallest asteroid ever visited by a space probe. JAXA anticipates that the Hayabusa2 missions will provide crucial insights into the composition and structure of small asteroids, aiding in future efforts to mitigate potential asteroid impact threats.

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The JAXA is currently transmitting the collected scientific data back to Earth.