How do space agencies study asteroids and comets?

Space agencies like NASA, ESA, and JAXA conduct various missions to study asteroids and comets to gain insights into the formation and evolution of our solar system.

Spacecraft Missions

Space agencies send spacecraft missions to asteroids and comets to collect data up close. These missions involve spacecraft like NASA's OSIRIS-REx and JAXA's Hayabusa2, which have successfully landed on asteroids to collect samples and return them to Earth for analysis.

Telescopic Observations

Space agencies also study asteroids and comets through telescopic observations from Earth and space-based telescopes. These observations provide valuable information about the composition, size, and orbit of these celestial bodies.

Sample Return Missions

Sample return missions, like the OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 missions, bring back samples of asteroids to Earth for detailed analysis in laboratories. These samples help scientists better understand the composition and history of asteroids and comets.

By combining data from spacecraft missions, telescopic observations, and sample return missions, space agencies can further our understanding of the solar system's formation and evolution.