Hayabusa2 Skims Asteroid Torifune at 800 Meters, Returning 300 MB of Data
Updated
Updated · Space.com · Jul 19
Hayabusa2 Skims Asteroid Torifune at 800 Meters, Returning 300 MB of Data
3 articles · Updated · Space.com · Jul 19
Summary
800 meters from Torifune’s center, Hayabusa2 made an unusually close July 5 flyby and returned images showing the near-Earth asteroid is a contact binary.
Months of debate preceded the pass because Hayabusa2 was built for rendezvous, not a 5.3-km-per-second flyby; engineers first proposed 10 kilometers, then 1 kilometer, before approving 800 meters despite a roughly 200-meter targeting error.
All four science instruments collected data, including nine seconds of thermal imaging and what JAXA said may be the first successful LIDAR ranging measurement during an asteroid flyby.
Only 25 MB of priority data has been downlinked so far; the rest of the 300 MB will wait until after about four months of ion-engine firing that began July 9 for Earth flybys in 2027 and 2028.
JAXA says the maneuver did more than gather science, demonstrating rapid asteroid reconnaissance and techniques relevant to planetary defense ahead of Hayabusa2’s planned 2031 rendezvous with 11-meter asteroid 1998 KY26.
How does Japan's high-risk asteroid flyby reshape our global strategy for planetary defense?
Will Hayabusa2’s next target prove to be a lost Soviet-era spacecraft instead of an asteroid?
Hayabusa2’s Historic 2026 Encounter with Torifune: Advancing Asteroid Science and Planetary Defense
Overview
On July 5, 2026, the Hayabusa2 spacecraft achieved a historic milestone by successfully flying by the asteroid Torifune. This close encounter marked a crucial moment for asteroid exploration, demonstrating Hayabusa2’s advanced deep-space navigation and data acquisition abilities. Using its onboard Thermal InfraRed Imager, Hayabusa2 captured detailed images of Torifune from about 10 km away, providing valuable scientific data. The mission not only showcased technological excellence but also strengthened Hayabusa2’s reputation as a pioneering mission, paving the way for future planetary defense and asteroid research.