The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced that its unmanned Hayabusa2 probe will observe asteroid Torifune during a high-speed flyby scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on July 5. This mission follows Hayabusa2's successful return of a capsule containing samples from the Ryugu asteroid in December 2020.
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Currently on an extended mission, Hayabusa2 aims to reach asteroid 1998 KY 26 by July 2031. During the upcoming flyby, the probe will attempt to capture images of Torifune from a distance of one kilometer or less as it travels at a speed of 5 kilometers per second. JAXA plans to control Hayabusa2's trajectory with high precision to maximize its proximity to Torifune, which also serves as a test for technology that could potentially alter the course of an asteroid threatening Earth.