Hayabusa2 Targets 1-Km Flyby of Asteroid Torifune on July 5
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Jun 28
Hayabusa2 Targets 1-Km Flyby of Asteroid Torifune on July 5
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jun 28
Summary
July 5 will bring Hayabusa2 within 1 to 10 kilometers of near-Earth asteroid Torifune, making one of the closest flybys ever attempted by a mission in its class.
At 5.3 kilometers per second, the spacecraft will have only a brief window to capture images and other data on the roughly 450-meter object, whose exact shape and size remain uncertain.
JAXA says the pass will use advanced navigation techniques and could double as a planetary-defense reconnaissance test, helping assess an asteroid before any future kinetic-impact mission.
Hayabusa2 completed its primary mission by returning Ryugu samples to Earth in 2020 and is now using its extended mission to pursue Torifune before aiming for asteroid 1998 KY26 in 2031.
Is Japan's high-speed asteroid flyby a brilliant defense test or a reckless gamble with a legendary spacecraft?
How will a split-second flyby of a mysterious asteroid redefine humanity's strategy for preventing a cosmic disaster?
Hayabusa2’s Close Encounter with Torifune: Advancing Asteroid Science and Planetary Defense in 2026
Overview
Hayabusa2, launched in 2014, completed its primary mission by returning samples from asteroid Ryugu to Earth in 2020. Now on its extended mission, the spacecraft is preparing for a high-speed flyby of asteroid Torifune on July 5, 2026. This encounter aims to collect new scientific data and test advanced navigation techniques, showing Hayabusa2’s ongoing capabilities and the mission team’s ambitious goals. The flyby will not only deepen our understanding of asteroids but also help develop technologies important for planetary defense, building on the mission’s legacy of discovery and innovation.