hayabusa
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After Delivery to Earth, What’s Next for NASA’s Asteroid Sample?
Earth just got a special delivery: Pieces of an ancient asteroid that were snagged straight from the source and dropped off in the western Utah desert. After travelling through space for nearly three years, the journey is just beginning for the precious rock samples, which could help scientists figure out the story of life. On…
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Japan’s Epsilon-6 Rocket Forced to Self-Destruct With 8 Satellites On Board
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, destroyed its Epsilon-6 rocket mid-flight on Tuesday, resulting in the loss of eight commercial satellites that were included in the rideshare mission, local media reported.
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Japan’s Decade-Long Mission To Mine An Asteroid
1999 JU3: It doesn’t sound like a very noteworthy name. It’s just one of more than 5,000 Apollo-class asteroids. But 1999 JU3 could become a household name if Japan succeeds in mining it — a mission that JAXA has struggled with for decades, often disastrously. And on Sunday, it revealed the probe that could redeem…
