Milestone · 2010 · The New Space Era
First Asteroid Sample Return
Hayabusa returned the first samples ever collected from an asteroid, from Itokawa, to Earth.
Highlights
- ›Hayabusa, Itokawa
Missions, people & worlds
Knowledge connections
- Part ofThe New Space Era
- Associated with25143 Itokawa
- Associated withHayabusa
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- 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.