Hayabusa

Hayabusa, meaning "falcon" in Japanese, is a spacecraft developed by JAXA to study and return samples from asteroids. Launched in 2014, it traveled to asteroid Itokawa, collected dust and stones, then returned to Earth in 2010. Hayabusa's mission provided valuable insights into the composition of asteroids and the early solar system, helping scientists understand the building blocks of planets. It was notable for its innovative design, allowing it to land on the asteroid's surface, gather samples, and safely bring them back for study.