Hayabusa 2 probe

Why in news?

• Japan’s Hayabusa 2 probe has recently entered into the orbit of the Ryugu asteroid.

About the Hayabusa 2:

• Hayabusa2 is an asteroid sample-return mission operated by the Japanese space agency, JAXA launched in 2014.
• It follows on from the Hayabusa mission which returned asteroid samples in 2010 from a small near-Earth asteroid named 25143 Itokawa.
• Hayabusa2 rendezvoused with near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu on 27 June 2018.
•  It surveyed the asteroid for a year and a half and took samples.
• It left the asteroid in November 2019 and is expected to return to Earth on 6 December 2020.

Objectives:

• To study the origin and evolution of the solar system.
• Carbonaceous asteroids like Ryugu are expected to preserve the most pristine materials in the Solar System, a mixture of minerals, ice, and organic compounds that interact with each other.
• Studying it is expected to provide additional knowledge on the origin and evolution of the inner planets and, in particular, the origin of water and organic compounds on Earth, all relevant to the origin of life on Earth.
• Demonstrate advanced technologies such as ion engines and collision device.

Similar missions:

• OSIRIS-REx is a NASA mission to study and return with samples from the asteroid Bennu.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding asteroids:
1.Asteroids are small planet like bodies that orbit the sun.
2.The majority of known asteroids orbit outside the orbit of Neptune.
Which among the above statements is/are correct?
(a)1 only 
(b)2 only 
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question