Preparing for a Rocky Touchdown on Ryugu

Hayabusa2’s close encounter with the asteroid Ryugu continues to amaze and surprise. Its two successful touchdown rehearsals have given scientists remarkable up-close looks at the asteroid’s surface, giving the spacecraft its best shot at a successful touchdown in 2019. At a press conference at the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society 50th annual meeting on October 25, scientists gathered to discuss the most recent updates in the mission and what they learned from the touchdown rehearsals.