However, before that can happen, the spacecraft will need to participate in a scavenger hunt in the Australian outback. This weekend, fragments of an asteroid are expected to touch down in a desolate area near Woomera, South Australia. These fragments are being transported to Earth by Hayabusa2, a robotic space probe launched by Japan's space agency, JAXA, in 2014 to investigate an asteroid called Ryugu, which is a dark, carbon-rich rock that is slightly over half a mile wide. The success of this mission and the scientific data it yields will enhance Japan's reputation as a key player in deep space exploration, alongside NASA, the European Space Agency, and Russia. JAXA also has a spacecraft currently orbiting Venus to study its extreme climate and is working with European partners on a mission to Mercury. In the near future, Japan aims to retrieve rocks from Phobos, a moon of Mars, and support NASA's Artemis program to send astronauts to the moon. However, the main challenge at the moment is locating a small capsule containing asteroid samples in a vast area north of Adelaide, which is quite remote. Shogo Tachibana, the lead investigator overseeing the analysis of the Hayabusa2 samples, mentioned that the recovery team from Japan is facing difficulties due to the isolated location in Woomera, used by the Australian military for testing purposes. This area provides a suitable environment for the return of a spacecraft from another planet. The return capsule detached from the spacecraft 12 hours before landing, when it was 125,000 miles from Earth. JAXA will air live coverage of the capsule's landing at 11:30 am Eastern time on Saturday (pre-dawn Sunday in Australia). The capsule is expected to land shortly before noon. Mission manager Makoto Yoshikawa mentioned in an interview that there is a 10-kilometer uncertainty in predicting where the capsule will reenter the atmosphere. Once it reaches an altitude of 6 miles, the capsule will release a parachute, adding to the uncertainty of its descent path. Yoshikawa explained that the location of the landing will be determined by the wind conditions on the day of the event. The search area could potentially span up to 60 miles. The recovery team will be aided by the trail of superheated air left by the reentering capsule, as well as the capsule's radio beacon. However, the mission will become significantly more challenging if the beacon malfunctions or if the parachute does not deploy. Additionally, there is some urgency in completing the task. The team's goal is to retrieve the capsule, conduct an initial analysis, and quickly return it to Japan within 100 hours. Despite being sealed, there is concern that Earth's air could gradually seep into the capsule. Tachibana noted that perfect sealing is not possible. Once the capsule is located, it will be transported by helicopter to a laboratory at the Australian air force base in Woomera. At the lab, an instrument will remove any gases that may have been released by the asteroid rocks as they were disturbed and broken during reentry. Yoshikawa mentioned that the scientists are interested in detecting helium particles from the solar wind that may have impacted the asteroid and become trapped in the rocks. The presence of these gases would confirm that Hayabusa2 successfully gathered samples from Ryugu, with at least 0.1 grams required for a successful mission. The team hopes that the spacecraft has brought back several grams of samples, and analysis of the Ryugu samples will soon begin in Japan. Some of the samples collected by Hayabusa2 at the asteroid Ryugu will be shared with other scientists for further study in approximately a year. Hayabusa2 conducted various investigations at the asteroid starting in June 2018, including dropping probes to the surface, creating a hole to look below the surface, and collecting small pieces of the asteroid. This process was more difficult than anticipated due to the presence of numerous boulders. Masaki Fujimoto, deputy director general of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, noted that small worlds like Ryugu were previously not of great interest to planetary scientists who typically focused on studying planets. "Who cares about minor bodies?" he questioned, before emphasizing the importance of studying small bodies in understanding the formation of planetary systems. By analyzing water trapped in minerals from Ryugu, scientists may uncover clues about the origins of Earth's oceans and the potential for carbon-based molecules to have played a role in the development of life. NASA will receive some of the Ryugu samples, in addition to rocks and soil from the OSIRIS-Rex mission's exploration of the asteroid Bennu. Despite similarities between Ryugu and Bennu, such as their spinning top-like appearance and boulder-covered surfaces, they also exhibit distinct differences. The rocks on Ryugu seem to have less water compared to other rocks. The importance of these similarities and differences will only be understood once scientists conduct a more detailed study on the rocks. Harold Connolly, a geology professor at Rowan University and the mission sample scientist for OSIRIS-Rex, mentioned that there are fascinating similarities and differences between the rocks. He plans to travel to Japan next summer to assist in analyzing the Ryugu samples. Hayabusa2 is not Japan's initial planetary mission. The name of the mission, Hayabusa2, is a reference to an earlier mission called Hayabusa, which successfully brought back samples from the asteroid Itokawa. While previous missions by JAXA, such as Akatsuki and a mission to Mars, faced technical challenges, Hayabusa2 has been operating smoothly despite having a similar design to its predecessor. Yoshikawa, the mission manager, stated that there are no major issues with the mission, only some minor ones. He mentioned that the team thoroughly analyzed the failures of Hayabusa and made necessary changes, in addition to conducting numerous rehearsals to prepare for any potential challenges. Japanese missions typically have smaller budgets compared to NASA's missions, resulting in fewer instruments being carried. The cost of Hayabusa2 is under $300 million, while OSIRIS-Rex's price tag is around $1 billion. Delivering the Ryugu samples does not mark the conclusion of the Hayabusa2 mission. After releasing the return capsule, the main spacecraft changed its trajectory to avoid a collision with Earth, narrowly missing by 125 miles. It is now en route to another asteroid, a small one called 1998 KY26, which is only 100 feet wide and spins rapidly, completing one rotation in less than 11 minutes. Hayabusa2 will utilize two flybys of Earth to propel itself towards KY26, with an expected arrival in 2031. The spacecraft will conduct astronomical experiments during its extended journey through deep space, and still has a final projectile that may be used to test the surface of the asteroid.