Returned sample

Ryugu Sample (Hayabusa2)

5.4 grams of surface and subsurface material from the carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu, returned by Hayabusa2 in 2020. The pristine, water- and organic-bearing grains contain amino acids and predate the Solar System's planets.

Sample facts

Source body: 162173 Ryugu
Returned by: Hayabusa2
Returned mass: 5.4 g
Analysis: Curated at JAXA; found to contain water-bearing minerals and amino acids.

Sources

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

JAXAJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Japanese missions (Hayabusa, Akatsuki) and space science.
NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

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