Japan's asteroid-smashing probe reveals a surprisingly young space rock

Japan's Hayabusa 2 spacecraft, launched by JAXA, investigated asteroid Ryugu by creating an impact crater. The findings, published in Science, reveal Ryugu as a rubble pile of boulders held by sandy materials. The spacecraft, equipped with ion thrusters and various sensors, confirmed the asteroid's ancient materials date back 4.6 billion years, while its current form is only 10 million years old.

What was the primary objective of Japan's Hayabusa 2 mission?

• To explore the surface of Mars

• To study the rings of Saturn

• To investigate the asteroid Ryugu

• To observe the moons of Jupiter

Which organization published the findings of the Hayabusa 2 mission?

• JAXA

• ESA

• NASA

• ISRO

What type of antennas does the Hayabusa 2 spacecraft use for communication?

• X and car band antennas

• Laser and optical antennas

• VHF and UHF antennas

• Microwave and infrared antennas

What did the impact experiment on Ryugu reveal about its structure?

• It is a rubble pile

• It is a gas giant

• It is a solid rock

• It is a liquid body

How old are the most ancient materials of the asteroid Ryugu?

• 2.5 billion years

• 1 billion years

• 4.6 billion years

• 3.8 billion years