Article Posted on : - Nov 16, 2010

Hayabusa spacecraft

TOKYO (AP): Japanese scientists say a spacecraft has brought asteroid dust back to earth for the first time.

Scientists said Tuesday that an analysis of samples from the Hayabusa spacecraft showed that some had come from an asteroid called Itokawa.

Such samples could offer insight into the creation and makeup of the solar system.

Hayabusa, launched in 2003, reached the asteroid in 2005 and returned in June.

The samples are only the fourth set to be returned from space in history, including moon matter collected by the Apollo missions, comet material by Stardust, and solar matter from the Genesis mission.

Japanese Project Chief Junichiro Kawaguchi said the Hayabusa mission exceeded expectations.