Japanese space probe Hayabusa2 has powered its main ion thrusters to start its one-year journey back to Earth to deliver the samples collected from the Ryugu asteroid, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on Wednesday
TOKYO (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd December, 2019) Japanese space probe Hayabusa2 has powered its main ion thrusters to start its one-year journey back to Earth to deliver the samples collected from the Ryugu asteroid, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on Wednesday.
Hayabusa2 departed from Ryugu on November 13, gradually moving away from its surface and taking additional photographs.
"[IES Return Trip] At 11:42 JST, Hayabusa2 ion engine acceleration began. The spacecraft was confirmed to be normal. With this, Hayabusa2's Earth return cruise operation is declared to have begun," JAXA wrote on Twitter.
Hayabusa2, which is around 900 meters (half a mile) in diameter, was launched in 2014.
Ryugu, which is almost 1 kilometer in diameter, is currently over 300 million kilometers away from Earth. The asteroid is believed to contain water and organic chemicals that may help scientists uncover clues about the origins of terrestrial life.
