⏰ when
When was the first sample from an asteroid returned to Earth?
SpaceSample Return
Quick Answer
Hayabusa returned asteroid samples to Earth on 13 June 2010. It brought back material from asteroid Itokawa.
The Full Story
After its 2005 visit to asteroid Itokawa, Japan’s Hayabusa mission released a sample capsule that landed in Australia on 13 June 2010. The return of those microscopic grains was the first time material from an asteroid was brought back to Earth. Even though the samples were tiny, they were scientifically valuable for studying the building blocks of planets. The mission became a landmark in robotic sample-return exploration.
Key Facts
1.Return date: 13 June 2010
2.Asteroid: Itokawa
3.First asteroid samples on Earth
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"A robot brought home asteroid dust and opened a new era of space science."