Editorial photo #3485938 Science and Technology

Japan International Aerospace 2018

A visitors look at Hayabusa2 model during Japan Aerospace 2018 air show in Tokyo, Japan, November 28, 2018. Hayabusa2 (Japanese: は や ぶ さ 2, "Peregrine falcon-2") is an asteroid sample-return mission operated by the Japanese space agency, JAXA. It follows on from Hayabusa and addresses weak points identified in that mission. Hayabusa2 was launched on 3 December 2014 and rendezvoused with near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu on 27 June 2018. This is the process of surveying the asteroid for a year and a half, departing in December 2019, and returning to Earth in December 2020. (Photo by Alessandro Di Ciommo/NurPhoto)