Nasa knows how to deflect an asteroid. Can Japan’s Hayabusa2 pull it off?

AI Summary

Japan’s Hayabusa2 space probe conducted a close fly-by of asteroid Torifune, marking a significant advancement in asteroid defense technology. The mission highlights Japan’s growing role in space science and global cosmic threat protection efforts.

Japan’s Hayabusa2 fly-by of Torifune marks a leap in asteroid defence, showcasing the country’s growing space prowess and “goodwill science” role vital for protecting Earth from cosmic threats. The space probe, named after the Peregrine falcon in Japanese, successfully flew within 800 metres (0.5 miles) of the asteroid, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on July 5. JAXA said Hayabusa2 performed as expected and responded to all instructions from land-based mission control, about...