Dust From Japan's Asteroid-Blasting Probe Returns to Earth (ibtimes.com) 29
Long-time Slashdot reader reminds us that in 1999 scientists discovered the asteroid Ryugu flying 300 million kilometres (or 186,411,357 miles) from earth. In 2014, Japan launched a probe to collect samples from it.
Today those samples returned to earth.
The International Business Times shares pictures and report: In a streak of light across the night sky, samples collected from a distant asteroid arrived on Earth after being dropped off by Japanese space probe Hayabusa-2. Scientists hope the precious samples, which are expected to amount to no more than 1 gram of material, could help shed light on the origin of life and the formation of the universe. [That's 0.00220462262185 pounds.]
The capsule carrying samples entered the atmosphere just before 2:30 am Japan time (1730 GMT Saturday), creating a shooting-star-like fireball as it entered Earth's atmosphere. "Six years and it has finally come back to Earth," an official narrating a live broadcast of the arrival said, as images showed officials from Japan's space agency JAXA cheering and pumping their fists in excitement... The capsule was recovered in the southern Australian desert, and will now be processed before being sent to Japan...
The probe collected both surface dust and pristine material from below the surface that was stirred up by firing an "impactor" into the asteroid. The material collected from the asteroid is believed to be unchanged since the time the universe was formed...
Scientists are especially keen to discover whether the samples contain organic matter, which could have helped seed life on Earth.
Today those samples returned to earth.
The International Business Times shares pictures and report: In a streak of light across the night sky, samples collected from a distant asteroid arrived on Earth after being dropped off by Japanese space probe Hayabusa-2. Scientists hope the precious samples, which are expected to amount to no more than 1 gram of material, could help shed light on the origin of life and the formation of the universe. [That's 0.00220462262185 pounds.]
The capsule carrying samples entered the atmosphere just before 2:30 am Japan time (1730 GMT Saturday), creating a shooting-star-like fireball as it entered Earth's atmosphere. "Six years and it has finally come back to Earth," an official narrating a live broadcast of the arrival said, as images showed officials from Japan's space agency JAXA cheering and pumping their fists in excitement... The capsule was recovered in the southern Australian desert, and will now be processed before being sent to Japan...
The probe collected both surface dust and pristine material from below the surface that was stirred up by firing an "impactor" into the asteroid. The material collected from the asteroid is believed to be unchanged since the time the universe was formed...
Scientists are especially keen to discover whether the samples contain organic matter, which could have helped seed life on Earth.
Re:1 gram? (Score:5, Informative)
The original goal was to collect 100mg, anything more is a bonus. That's enough to do a lot of science with.
It's an incredible achievement. They sent a probe out to an asteroid, which is not really solid but more like a pile of rubble, and managed to capture a sample without damaging the spacecraft, and then returned it to Earth safely.
In related news the Chinese lunar sample is back with the orbiter and ready to start the journey home.
Re:1 gram? (Score:4, Interesting)
Any idea how much the Chinese collected? I've been searching but haven't found anything. Not even an estimate of the capability. (But I can't read Chinese.)
For what it's worth, the Apollo missions went from about 20 to 100+ kilos over the 6 successful lunar missions. The Russians also collected a few hundred grams of lunar material with 3 post-Apollo robot missions.
If the Chinese did it for propaganda, then it's probably a one-shot, but if they are serious about the moon, there should soon be another launch of a more capable robot. Something that will wander around a large area of the moon and collect samples to send back.
Re: (Score:2)
And it other related news, OSIRIS-REx has completed stowing its sample from Bennu and is scheduled for its return journey to start in March of 2021. It has collected at least 60 grams of material, so much in fact that there were problems closing the sample capture pod to stow it for the return journey.
Re: (Score:2)
It's time to science the hell out of this 1 gram
How many pounds? (Score:1)
And to how many decimal places?
WTF.
Great editing. (Score:5, Funny)
1 gram of material ... [That's 0.00220462262185 pounds.]
Editor: People don't know what grams are!
Writer: Wait but we do use grams someti-
Editor: CONVERT IT TO SOMETHING PEOPLE KNOW!
Writer: So... to the nearest trillionth of a pound?
Editor: Exactly!
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
Well, first, I doubt the density of mostly loose dust is equal to the density of steel; but even supposing it is, one eight of a cubic centimeter is still a cube of 0.5 cm on a side, so it's not quite so small. It would be the same size as a small six faced die [dicegamedepot.com]
Re: (Score:3)
CONVERT IT TO SOMETHING PEOPLE KNOW
People here should have an idea of what a gram represents.
Re: (Score:2)
People here should have an idea of what a gram represents.
Definitely. Otherwise, they might get ripped off in illegal drug deals.
Re: (Score:1)
Even worse, it's up to 0.00220462262185 pounds. That's a truly weirdly specific (approximate) upper limit.
But how many football fields wd it cover? (Score:2)
But how many football fields would it cover, assumed you make all the molecules to distance in the way of social distancing? These are the questions people need to know these day.
Re: (Score:2)
American football fields or another kind of football field?
Re: (Score:2)
I rather doubt the sample measures at 1.00000000000 grams either.
Re: (Score:2)
Writer: So... to the nearest trillionth of a pound?
That would be stupidly imprecise. Which is why the writer actually gave the value to the nearest hundred trillionth. 14 decimal places.
Sigh. Science writers should be required to take at least one basic chemistry or laboratory physics class. You know, where they cover significant digits. Also, it would have been better to present it as a fraction of an ounce, rather than a pound... "0.04 ounces", or "1/25th of an ounce" or if you want to stick to the power-of-2 fractions common with Imperial units, "1/32n
Great, lets end 2020 by introducing ... (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Just don't put any epileptic folk on the research team, please.
And make sure ALL the safety cut-off nodes are operational.
Well done (Score:4, Insightful)
Who did really think we were going to see... (Score:1)
...a meteor rain?
Like a "non-happy" ending Armageddon movie?
Dust From Asteroid Returns to Earth (Score:1)
So it's really cool how in 1969 we faked the moon landing becuase it was "much too hard" (a la Crapricorn One 1976) but a mere 40 years later Japan and China can call out for moon-dust and such and get it successfully delivered by drone.
Maybe Bezos is right -- drone delivery, not human drivers, *IS* the future.
Japan is going to need ... (Score:2)
one of these [dreamstime.com] to stop it going all over the place and making a mess.
Formation of the Universe? (Score:4, Interesting)
Not since the Solar system formed?
Small white particles called CAI-s (calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions), found in meteorites, are the oldest condensed matter in our solar system. Even though you can have nano-diamonds that are thought to be even older (formed by a nearby supernova shortly before out Solar system was formed), as far as I know, the bulk of meteoritic material is younger than CAI-s (4.567 billion years old).
As for the possibility of organic chemistry, I would be extremely surprised if none was found. The material that is spectroscopical match to the asteroid Ryugu has been studied through multiple meteorites and all meteorites of that type have been found to contain organic compounds.
One does not simply (Score:2)
...shoot a bullet into an asteroid
Oops - Bye (Score:4, Funny)
This is a great achievement for all involved (Score:3)
The sample is going to be assessed briefly at an Australian lab before being returned to Japan.
There might be one or two Aussie scientists tempted to include an image of Godzilla in the package.
Or a tentacle.
But they'd never tamper with the evidence to include some octopus or squid DNA. Never.