The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced that its asteroid explorer Hayabusa2 will conduct a flyby of asteroid Torifune on July 5, 2026. The spacecraft will approach the asteroid at a distance of approximately 1 km and at a speed of 5 km/s relative to Torifune. It should be noted that the exact timing may change depending on operational conditions.
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Hayabusa2 was launched in December 2014 aboard the H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 26. After arriving at asteroid Ryugu in June 2018, the spacecraft achieved several groundbreaking milestones, including the creation of an artificial crater on the asteroid's surface. It returned to Earth in December 2020 with samples of Ryugu's material.
Following this successful mission, Hayabusa2 embarked on an Extended Mission. The upcoming flyby of Torifune is designed to refine high-precision orbital guidance and develop technology for potential orbital changes of asteroids. The ultimate goal of the Extended Mission is to rendezvous with asteroid 1998 KY26 in 2031 for further exploration.
These endeavors are integral to planetary defense, which involves identifying and monitoring asteroids that may threaten Earth and implementing prevention strategies. Given the global nature of potential asteroid impacts, these efforts are being coordinated internationally, with JAXA contributing crucially to these initiatives.