JAXA Repurposes Hayabusa2 for Asteroid Deterrent Testing

Overview

• Japan's space agency, JAXA, has repurposed its Hayabusa2 spacecraft to test asteroid deterrent methods.
• Hayabusa2 will study asteroid 2001 CC21 and in 2031, will fly close to asteroid 1998 KY26, a fast-spinner whose orbit crosses with Earth's.
• The spacecraft will release a target marker onto the asteroid, allowing scientists to study its rotation with better accuracy.
• JAXA may test using the spacecraft as a battering ram to alter the asteroid's path, similar to NASA's DART method.
• The mission will contribute to planetary defense and could potentially aid in future asteroid mining operations.