Hayabusa-2: Japanese probe likely to have ‘bombed’ an asteroid

(UTV|COLOMBO) – The Japanese Hayabusa-2 spacecraft is thought to have detonated an explosive charge on the asteroid it is exploring.

Its mission is to create an artificial crater on the asteroid Ryugu.

If this is successful, it will later return to gather samples of the asteroid, which could help scientists understand how earth was formed in the early solar system.

According to Kyodo News, the experiment’s success will only be confirmed in late April.

The explosive device, called the Small Carry-on Impactor (SCI), was deployed by the Hayabusa-2 on Friday. The SCI is a 14kg conical container attached to the Hayabusa-2 and packed with plastic explosive.

It was intended to punch a 10m-wide hole in the asteroid upon impact.

The SCI on Friday successfully separated from the Hayabusa-2 at an altitude of 500m above the surface of Ryugu.

In the meantime, the Hayabusa-2 manoeuvred itself to hide away on the other side of the asteroid, shielding the spacecraft from any flying debris.