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| Hayabusa-2: Spacecraft's 'bomb' crater found | Hayabusa-2: Spacecraft's 'bomb' crater found |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Hayabusa-2 spacecraft has sent back images of the crater made when it detonated an explosive charge next to the asteroid it is investigating. | The Hayabusa-2 spacecraft has sent back images of the crater made when it detonated an explosive charge next to the asteroid it is investigating. |
| On 5 April, the Japanese probe released a 14kg device packed with plastic explosive towards the asteroid Ryugu. | On 5 April, the Japanese probe released a 14kg device packed with plastic explosive towards the asteroid Ryugu. |
| The blast drove a copper projectile into the surface, hoping to create a 10m-wide depression. | The blast drove a copper projectile into the surface, hoping to create a 10m-wide depression. |
| Scientists want to get a "fresh" sample of rock to help them better understand how Earth and the other planets formed. | Scientists want to get a "fresh" sample of rock to help them better understand how Earth and the other planets formed. |
| Hayabusa-2 has now taken pictures of the area below where the "small carry-on impactor" (SCI) device was to have detonated, and identified a dark disturbance in which fresh material has been excavated from beneath the surface. | Hayabusa-2 has now taken pictures of the area below where the "small carry-on impactor" (SCI) device was to have detonated, and identified a dark disturbance in which fresh material has been excavated from beneath the surface. |
| Scientists working on the Japanese Aerospace Agency (Jaxa) mission said the blast area on the surface measures about 20m in diameter - twice the size of the crater they expected to see. | Scientists working on the Japanese Aerospace Agency (Jaxa) mission said the blast area on the surface measures about 20m in diameter - twice the size of the crater they expected to see. |
| The mission's official account tweeted: "We did not expect such a big alteration, so a lively debate has been initiated in the project!" | |
| Because of the debris that would have been thrown up in this event, Hayabusa-2 manoeuvred itself before the detonation to the far side of 800m-wide Ryugu - out of harm's way and out of sight. | Because of the debris that would have been thrown up in this event, Hayabusa-2 manoeuvred itself before the detonation to the far side of 800m-wide Ryugu - out of harm's way and out of sight. |
| But the probe left a small camera behind called DCAM3 to observe the explosion. | But the probe left a small camera behind called DCAM3 to observe the explosion. |
| Hayabusa-2 later returned to its "home position" about 20km above the asteroid's surface. From here, it conducted a search for the crater produced in the explosion. | Hayabusa-2 later returned to its "home position" about 20km above the asteroid's surface. From here, it conducted a search for the crater produced in the explosion. |
| In coming weeks, scientists will command the probe to descend into the crater to collect its fresh samples. | In coming weeks, scientists will command the probe to descend into the crater to collect its fresh samples. |
| Because they will come from within the asteroid, they will be less altered by the harsh environment of space. | Because they will come from within the asteroid, they will be less altered by the harsh environment of space. |
| Bombardment with cosmic radiation over the aeons is thought to change the surfaces of these planetary building blocks. | Bombardment with cosmic radiation over the aeons is thought to change the surfaces of these planetary building blocks. |
| Ryugu belongs to a particularly primitive type of space rock known as a C-type asteroid. It's a relic left over from the early days of our Solar System, and therefore records the conditions and chemistry of that time - some 4.5 billion years ago. | Ryugu belongs to a particularly primitive type of space rock known as a C-type asteroid. It's a relic left over from the early days of our Solar System, and therefore records the conditions and chemistry of that time - some 4.5 billion years ago. |
| Follow Paul on Twitter. | Follow Paul on Twitter. |