A sample of the asteroid "Ryugu" collected by the Japanese probe "Hayabusa2" was handed over to the research group in charge of full-scale analysis, and the university group that started the analysis in advance has a large amount of water and organic matter. It was revealed that the data indicating the above was successfully detected.
The capsule of the Japanese probe "Hayabusa2" returned in December last year, and the sand and pebbles samples of the asteroid "Ryugu" inside were sequentially analyzed by domestic universities and research institutes for full-scale analysis. It was handed over to eight research groups in Japan, and on the 17th, a press conference was held with the people concerned.
It was explained that the samples analyzed by the eight groups weigh about 0.5 grams of the 5.4 grams of sand and pebbles brought back from the asteroid.
In addition, a research group at Okayama University received a sample on the 2nd of this month and started analysis in advance, and revealed that it had already succeeded in detecting data showing the presence of a large amount of water and organic matter.
The group measured the amount of atoms such as hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen and converted them into the amount of water and organic matter.
The analysis group is expected to clarify the relationship with the origin of water on the earth and identify the types of organic matter over the next year.
Professor Shogo Tachibana of the University of Tokyo, who organizes the analysis, said, "I would like to collect various evidences about the origin of the solar system, the life of the earth, and the materials of the sea."
Yuichi Tsuda, JAXA's project manager, said with hope, "We are finally ready to perform advanced analysis. I am looking forward to hearing the scientific results of the samples."