In a groundbreaking move for scientists, a sample from an asteroid is about to be delivered to Earth. This is a feat that has never been achieved before and a historic moment for the space industry.
The sample, which was collected from a near-Earth asteroid called Ryugu, is being brought about by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It will first be captured by a Hayabusa-2 spacecraft before it enters Earth’s atmosphere. The fragments of rock and dirt that will be contained in the sample are expected to provide invaluable information that will further our understanding of the origin of life, as well as the possible formation of other planets.
The delivery of samples to Earth from space is a difficult task, but one that the JAXA team appears to have done with precision. Experts say the capsule containing the samples is expected to enter Earth’s atmosphere on December 6th and then will make its descent to the Woomera Test Range in Australia, where it will be collected and taken to a laboratory for analysis.
The Ryugu asteroid sample contains a variety of materials, from organic compounds to metals. JAXA scientists have identified several compounds that could hold clues about the formation of the Solar System. Researchers are expecting the sample to help shed light on how the early pieces of the Solar System should have looked like, as well as their age.
This sample could also provide insight into the questions and theories surrounding the origin of life, since some of the materials contained in the asteroid sample could be precursors for the beginnings of life.
The potential for discoveries from this asteroid sample are immense. It could very likely provide answers to some of the most puzzling questions of our universe, and may even help us determine the basis for future space exploration and our understanding about how our universe and our planet came to be.
