Sections
Log in
Top News
U.S. News World News Featured Voices
Odd News
Entertainment
Movies Music TV
Sports
Soccer NFL NBA MLB NHL Golf Horse Racing Tennis Col. Football Col. Basketball
Photos
News Entertainment Sports Features Archives
More...
Defense Featured Science Health Archive Almanac
About Feedback
About Feedback
Search
Trending
Southwest Airlines
EPA
Venezuela
Doug Reinhardt
National emergency
'Walking Dead'
Monsta X
Facebook privacy
F-18 Super Hornets
Amazon
Cuba
Science News
Sept. 27, 2018 / 10:26 AM

JAXA's asteroid landers share photos from Ryugu's surface

By
Brooks Hays
New photos captured by the Hayabusa-2 mission's two MINERVA-II1 rovers showcase the rugged surface of asteroid Ryugu. Photo by JAXA
New photos captured by the Hayabusa-2 mission's two MINERVA-II1 rovers showcase the rugged surface of asteroid Ryugu. Photo by JAXA

Sept. 27 (UPI) -- JAXA released new photos of the asteroid Ryugu's rugged landscape.

The images were captured by the mission's two MINERVA-II1 rovers, named Rover 1A and Rover 1B. The miniature, roly-poly-shaped landers were released last week by the Japanese space agency's asteroid-circling probe, Hayabusa-2.

Rover-1A snapped a photograph of its own antenna and pin! Image taken on September 23, 2018 at 09:48 JST. [5/6] pic.twitter.com/W8zJqo2233

— HAYABUSA2@JAXA (@haya2e_jaxa) September 27, 2018

The landers successfully touched down on the asteroid's surface on Sunday.

JAXA posted video and photos captured by the landers' cameras on Twitter, revealing Ryugu's craggy surface up-close.

Rover-1B succeeded in shooting a movie on Ryugu’s surface! The movie has 15 frames captured on September 23, 2018 from 10:34 - 11:48 JST. Enjoy ‘standing’ on the surface of this asteroid! [6/6] pic.twitter.com/57avmjvdVa

— HAYABUSA2@JAXA (@haya2e_jaxa) September 27, 2018

Hayabusa-2 rendezvoused with asteroid Ryugu earlier this summer after a 3.5-year journey.

In the coming weeks, the two landers will use their cameras and instruments, including temperature and optical sensors, to observe Ryugu.

Scientists believe Ryugu was formed not long after the birth of the solar system and could offer scientists insights into how the solar system formed and evolved.

Last month, NASA's own asteroid-targeting probe, OSIRIS-REx, began its approach toward the asteroid Bennu.

Read More

Interstellar object 'Oumuamua traced to four possible stellar homes Asteroid analysis reveals early planetary rearrangement Hayabusa 2 probe drops two robotic landers on asteroid Ryugu
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more UPI news and photos.

Trending Stories

Satellite images reveal magma chambers beneath Bali's Agung volcano
Geologists use tide gauge measurements to track tremors
Indigenous hunters improve health of food webs in Australian desert
Dense river of stars found 1,000 light-years from Earth
Researchers find the source of black carbon in the Arctic

Photo Gallery

 
Balloons take flight at Al-Ula Balloon Festival in Saudi Arabia

Latest News

Martina Navratilova: Transgender athletes in women's sports is 'insane'
Winter storm to bring snow, ice, rain to 60 percent of U.S.
Watch February's super snow moon, the brightest full moon of the year
Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey reignite feud
Michigan shooting leaves 3 children, 1 adult dead
 
Back to Article
/
Back to top
About UPI Contact Feedback Advertisements Submit News Tips
Copyright © 2019 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of UsePrivacy Policy