Japan's Groundbreaking Test to Avert Catastrophic Asteroid Collision

Japan's space exploration agency, JAXA, is repurposing its Hayabusa-2 spacecraft to intercept two distant asteroids and test the technology required to destroy an asteroid on a collision course with Earth. While officials have not confirmed if the spacecraft will attempt to change the course of the asteroids, it is speculated that it may happen when the craft nears the end of its operational lifespan in 2031. The Hayabusa-2 successfully completed its primary mission of collecting samples from the asteroid 162173 Ryugu and will now conduct a fly-by of the asteroid 2002 CC21 before reaching its final destination, the asteroid 1998 KY26. This mission aims to gather valuable data for planetary defense and potential future asteroid mining operations.