Re - Entry Of Hayabusa2 Capsule Observed
A capsule released from Japanese space probe Hayabusa2 has been observed re-entering Earth's atmosphere, with witnesses in Australia seeing a fireball like a big shooting star in the sky.
The capsule, which is believed to be carrying sand samples from the remote asteroid Ryugu, was on course to land in a desert in South Australia.
The capsule was observed as a fireball shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Sunday Japan Time, or around 4:00 a.m. local time in South Australia.
The capsule has commands to open its parachute at a height of about 10,000 meters before landing in the desert.
A team waiting near the expected landing zone will search for and retrieve the capsule.
The capsule will be analyzed for gases that may have been emitted by the sample before it is flown to Japan to be opened in a research facility. That will mark the end of its 5 billion-kilometer voyage to and from Ryugu that took 6 years to complete.
The capsule's contents will be distributed to researchers for experiments on how the solar system was formed.
They are expected to analyze the sand samples for signs of water and organic substances, which could give clues about the origins of life on Earth.
The Hayabusa2 probe is already heading for a new mission as it still has much of its fuel. The spacecraft is expected to reach another asteroid in 11 years and explore it.
