However, before anything else can happen, a scavenger hunt must be undertaken in the Australian outback. This upcoming weekend, fragments of an asteroid will touch down in a desolate area near Woomera, South Australia. These pieces are being brought back 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 slightly over half a mile wide. The success of this mission and the scientific knowledge gained from it will enhance Japan's reputation as a major player in deep space exploration, alongside NASA, the European Space Agency, and Russia. JAXA currently has a spacecraft orbiting Venus to study its harsh climate and is working with European partners on a mission to Mercury. In the near future, Japan plans to retrieve rocks from Phobos, a moon of Mars, and assist in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to send astronauts to the moon. However, the immediate challenge will be locating a small capsule containing asteroid samples in a vast area near Adelaide, Australia. Shogo Tachibana, the lead researcher analyzing the Hayabusa2 samples, described the location as remote and isolated, with a team of over 70 Japanese individuals currently in Woomera for the capsule recovery. The area, typically used by the Australian military for testing, offers a spacious and suitable environment for the return of a spacecraft from another planet. The return capsule, which detached from the main spacecraft approximately 12 hours prior to the planned landing, was around 125,000 miles away from Earth. JAXA will provide live coverage of the capsule's landing starting at 11:30 am Eastern time on Saturday (early Sunday morning in Australia). The capsule is projected to touch down just before noon. Makoto Yoshikawa, the mission manager, mentioned in an interview that there is a margin of error of approximately 10 kilometres (6 miles) in determining the exact reentry point of the capsule into the atmosphere. Once at a height of 6 miles, the capsule will deploy a parachute, and its drifting path during the descent will further contribute to the uncertainty. Yoshikawa explained that the landing location will be determined by the wind conditions that day. The search area could potentially span 60 miles. The recovery team will follow the trail of the fireball and the capsule's radio beacon to locate the capsule. However, if the beacon or parachute fails, the task will become more challenging. Additionally, there is a sense of urgency in completing the recovery process. The team's goal is to retrieve the capsule, conduct an initial analysis, and quickly transport it back to Japan within 100 hours. Despite being sealed, there is concern that Earth's air may seep into the capsule gradually. Tachibana stated that perfect sealing is not possible. Once the capsule is located, it will be airlifted to a laboratory at the Australian air force base in Woomera. Here, an instrument will extract any gases that may have been emitted by the asteroid rocks as they were disturbed and shattered during reentry. Yoshikawa mentioned that the scientists are interested in detecting any helium particles from solar wind that may have collided with the asteroid and become trapped in the rocks. The presence of these gases would confirm that Hayabusa2 effectively gathered samples from Ryugu, with a minimum of 0.1 grams required for success. Ideally, the spacecraft would have brought back several grams. The Hayabusa2 team in Japan will now begin analyzing the samples from Ryugu. Some of the samples collected by Hayabusa2 at the asteroid Ryugu will be shared with other scientists for further study in approximately one year. The spacecraft arrived at the asteroid in June 2018 and conducted a series of increasingly complex investigations, including dropping probes onto the surface, creating a hole to examine what is below the surface, and collecting small pieces of the asteroid during two descents, which proved to be 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 celestial bodies like Ryugu were previously overlooked by planetary scientists who primarily focused on studying planets. He expressed his lack of concern for minor bodies but emphasized their importance in the formation of planetary systems. The study of water trapped in minerals from Ryugu could provide insight into the origins of Earth's oceans and the potential for carbon-based molecules to have influenced the development of life. NASA will receive part of the Ryugu samples, in addition to rocks and soil from the OSIRIS-Rex mission to another asteroid. The OSIRIS-Rex spacecraft, which has been studying the carbon-rich asteroid Bennu, will return to Earth in 2023 after dropping off its samples. Despite their similarities in appearance, Ryugu and Bennu have distinct characteristics. The rocks on Ryugu seem to have much less water compared to others. The significance of these similarities and differences will only be understood after further detailed study by scientists. Harold Connolly, a geology professor at Rowan University, mentioned that lessons learned from the Hayabusa2 mission will be valuable when the OSIRIS-Rex sample returns. He finds the similarities and differences very intriguing and plans to participate in analyzing the Ryugu samples in Japan next summer. Hayabusa2 is not Japan's initial planetary mission. The name of the mission, Hayabusa2, references a previous mission that successfully retrieved samples from an asteroid called Itokawa. However, the earlier mission faced significant technical issues, as did JAXA's Akatsuki spacecraft around Venus. In contrast, Hayabusa2 has been successful with minimal issues, despite sharing a similar design with its predecessor. Yoshikawa, the mission manager, stated that there are no major issues with the mission, only minor ones. He mentioned that the team carefully analyzed the failures of Hayabusa, made necessary changes, and conducted multiple rehearsals to prepare for any potential problems. Japanese missions typically have smaller budgets compared to NASA's, resulting in fewer instruments. The cost of Hayabusa2 is under $300 million, while OSIRIS-Rex's cost will be 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 course to avoid a collision with Earth, narrowly missing by 125 miles. The spacecraft will now head towards another asteroid, a small one known as 1998 KY26, which is only 100 feet in diameter but spins rapidly, completing one rotation in less than 11 minutes. Hayabusa2 will use two flybys of Earth to propel itself towards KY26, with an expected arrival in 2031. During the extended deep space journey, the spacecraft will conduct various astronomical experiments, and it still has a final projectile that may be used to test the surface of the asteroid.