22/09/2018 12:33
Hayabusa-2: Japan hopes for historic asteroid landing
Japan's space agency (JAXA) believes it has successfully landed two robotic explorers on the surface of an asteroid, making history.
"We don't have confirmation yet, but we are very, very hopeful," project manager Yuichi Tsuda said.
On Friday, the Hayabusa-2 spacecraft despatched a pair of "rovers" to the 1km-wide space rock known as Ryugu.
Rover 1A and Rover 1B will hop around in Ryugu's low gravity, capturing temperatures and images of the surface.
Hayabusa-2 reached the Ryugu asteroid in June this year after a three-and-a-half-year journey.
Officials hope to confirm a successful landing in a day or two, when the spaceship sends data from the rovers to Earth.