After a four-year journey, Japan’s Hayabusa 2 returned its first image of Ryugu, a diamond-shaped asteroid far from Earth. Habayusa is going to shoot explosives at the rock, scoop up some of the bits released, then return home with them for study. From the BBC:
A copper projectile, or “impactor” will separate from the spacecraft, floating down to the surface of the asteroid. Once Hayabusa 2 is safely out of the way, an explosive charge will detonate, driving the projectile into the surface.
“We have an impactor which will create a small crater on the surface of Ryugu. Maybe in spring next year, we will try to make a crater… then our spacecraft will try to reach into the crater to get the subsurface material.”
“But this is a very big challenge.”
Image: JAXA