JAXA = Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency conducted a simple analysis on a sample of the asteroid "Ryugu" collected by the Japanese spacecraft "Hayabusa2", and obtained data showing that it is highly likely that it contains organic matter. It was announced that it was done.
Samples of sand and pebbles of the asteroid "Ryugu" in the capsule of the Japanese spacecraft "Hayabusa2" that returned in December last year were sent to Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, before full-scale analysis was conducted. A simple analysis has been conducted at a JAXA Institute of Space Science.
JAXA held an online press conference and irradiated it with infrared rays to examine the components contained in the sand, and revealed that it obtained data that characteristically appears in the presence of organic matter.
When "Hayabusa2" observed "Ryugu", the same tendency data was obtained, indicating that there is a high possibility that it contains organic matter.
In addition, there is a reaction of water taken into the minerals, and it is possible that water existed on Ryugu in the past.
Hirohiro Usui, Group Leader of the JAXA Extraterrestrial Materials Research Group, said, "I am excited to have a sample and be able to analyze it."
At the press conference, it was announced that one of the cameras for Hayabusa2, which is still flying, could not be used, and the project team said that it could happen because it has been in operation after the design life. is.