Japan's Delayed Mission to Bizarre Asteroid Phaethon Set for 2025

Japan's mission, DESTINY+, to study the asteroid 3200 Phaethon and interplanetary dust has been delayed to 2025 due to issues with the development of the Epsilon S rocket. The asteroid is the parent of the Geminid meteor shower and is of significant scientific interest due to its characteristics as both an asteroid and a comet. The spacecraft will make a flyby of Phaethon, surveying its surface and analyzing interplanetary and interstellar dust to assess its role in the creation of life on Earth. The mission will also demonstrate technologies for future deep space exploration.