St. Louis Science Center: Astronomy Fact Of The Day: June 13, 2022

St. Louis MO

14 June, 2022

8:20 AM

Description

Press release from St. Louis Science Center: June 13, 2022 On this date in 2010, Hayabusa became the first spacecraft to return to Earth with samples from an asteroid. This Japanese mission visited the asteroid Itokawa and completed two landings and ascents to collect samples. As it returned to Earth, it ejected the sample capsule which was protected by a heat shield. Scientists found only 1,500 small grains were returned from the asteroid. The science conducted using these grains showed that ordinary chondrite meteorites come from asteroids such as Itokawa. This press release was produced by St. Louis Science Center. The views expressed here are the author's own.