Japanese Find “Minute Particles” in Hayabusa Asteroid Return Capsule

Japanese lab finds ‘minute particles’ in asteroid pod
AFP

Japan’s space agency said Monday it has found “minute particles” of what it hopes is asteroid dust in the capsule of the space probe Hayabusa which returned to Earth last month.

Scientists hope any dust samples from the potato-shaped asteroid Itokawa could help reveal secrets about the origins of the solar system.

“We have started the opening process of the sample container of Hayabusa since June 24, 2010 and confirmed there are minute particles,” the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said.

But the agency added it remained unclear whether the particles are contaminants from Earth or come from Itokawa which the space probe landed on during its multi-billion-kilometre (mile) journey.

Read the full story.