Japanese scientists say the operation to release a capsule from Japan's space probe Hayabusa2 is proceeding smoothly.

The project team of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, says the release of the capsule, believed to contain sand from the asteroid Ryugu, will take place at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Japan time, at 220,000 kilometers from Earth.

The team leader of Japan's asteroid explorer Hayabusa2 project says if Hayabusa2's capsule is successfully returned, it will be a historic achievement.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, held a final news conference ahead of the expected return of the capsule, which is believed to contain sand samples from the asteroid Ryugu.

Japanese scientists are making final preparations to retrieve a capsule that will be released from Japan's space probe Hayabusa2. The capsule is scheduled to land on a desert in Australia early on Sunday, local time.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, plans to land the capsule, which is believed to contain sand that the probe collected from an asteroid called Ryugu. The landing will take place at around 2:50 a.m. on Sunday, Japan time.

Japan's space agency says members of a team tasked with retrieving the capsule from the Hayabusa2 probe will be quarantined for more than three weeks before beginning their task.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, plans to send the 73-member team to Australia, where the capsule is scheduled to land in a desert area in early December.

Japan's space agency says its probe Hayabusa2 is scheduled to release in early December a capsule believed to contain samples of an asteroid. The capsule will be disengaged at a position about 220,000 kilometers away from Earth and will then make its way back home.

A team of scientists at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, aims to bring back sand and other materials from the asteroid Ryugu's surface with the Hayabusa2.

NHK has learned that Japan's space agency is planning to send its asteroid probe Hayabusa2 on another 10-year mission after bringing back samples from the asteroid Ryugu.

Hayabusa2 is scheduled to approach Earth on December 6 to drop a capsule containing the samples onto an Australian desert after a six-year journey.

Japan's asteroid probe Hayabusa2 will return a capsule containing samples from the asteroid Ryugu to Earth in early December.

Japan's education ministry announced that Hayabusa2 is scheduled to drop the capsule onto an Australian desert on December 6.

Japan's space agency says its asteroid probe is continuing its return to Earth as planned after the first injection of its main engines.

Hayabusa2 last December began its return after completing a mission on the asteroid Ryugu.