Hayabusa2 flies within 1 km of asteroid Torifune, demonstrating defence tech

On 5 July 2026 the Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 performed a close flyby of the near‑Earth asteroid 98943 Torifune, passing at a distance of about 800–1 000 metres while travelling roughly 5.3 km s⁻¹. The probe used its optical navigation camera (ONC‑T), near‑infrared spectrometer (NIRS3), thermal‑infrared imager (TIR) and LiDAR to record high‑resolution images, thermal maps and compositional data, confirming the asteroid’s elongated, contact‑binary shape and stony (S‑type) nature.

The maneuver showcases JAXA’s ability to navigate and study small, fast‑moving asteroids, a capability that underpins future planetary‑defence missions such as kinetic‑impact deflection. Hayabusa2, which returned Ryugu samples in 2020 after a 12‑year journey, will continue toward its next target, the 11‑metre object 1998 KY26, scheduled for a 2031 encounter. The Torifune data will be analysed over the coming months and are expected to inform international strategies for assessing and mitigating asteroid impact threats.