Journey into one of humanity’s most ambitious space missions as we explore JAXA’s groundbreaking Hayabusa2 mission to asteroid Ryugu! Discover how this remarkable spacecraft not only achieved the first successful deployment of rovers on an asteroid but also brought back precious samples that could reveal secrets about our solar system’s formation. From the dramatic touchdown on Ryugu’s surface to the revolutionary MASCOT and MINERVA rovers that hopped across its microgravity environment, this video breaks down the incredible technology and scientific discoveries from this historic asteroid sample return mission. Learn how these primitive asteroid samples are reshaping our understanding of the early solar system and what this means for future space exploration.

The Parker Solar Probe will swoop just 6.1 million kilometers above the sun’s surface on Christmas Eve. Scientists are thrilled at what we might learn.

By Jonathan O’Callaghan edited by Lee Billings

There are some places in the solar system no human will ever go. The surface of Venus, with its thick atmosphere and crushing pressure, is all but inaccessible. The outer worlds, such as Pluto, are too remote to presently consider for anything but robotic exploration. And the sun, our bright burning ball of hydrogen and helium, is far too hot and tumultuous for astronauts to closely approach. In our place, one intrepid robotic explorer, the Parker Solar Probe, has been performing a series of dramatic swoops toward our star, reaching closer than any spacecraft before to unlock its secrets. Now it is about to perform its final, closest passes, skimming inside the solar atmosphere like never before.