In June 2018, Japan's Hayabusa 2 mission successfully reached asteroid 162173 Ryugu, where it conducted extensive studies for 15 months before returning a sample to Earth in December 2020.

The returned sample, weighing approximately 5.4 grams, contains some of the most ancient and primitive material from the Solar System, dating back about 4.6 billion years.

Analysis of the Ryugu sample revealed organic matter, bolstering theories that asteroids may have delivered essential materials for life to Earth, alongside evidence of past water presence.

Findings from the sample included carbon dioxide-bearing water inclusions, suggesting that Ryugu's parent body formed in the outer Solar System, along with a high concentration of pyrrhotite that helps define its formation conditions.

The research team aimed to address key questions regarding the formation, original mineralogy, chemical evolution, and ejection history of Ryugu's parent body.

It is believed that the parent body underwent significant changes due to radioactive heating and collisions, ultimately leading to the formation of Ryugu approximately one billion years ago after a catastrophic impact.

The parent body of Ryugu likely formed between 1.8 to 2.9 million years after the Solar System's origin, primarily composed of ice and situated beyond the H2O and CO2 snow lines.

Ryugu is classified as a Cb spectral type asteroid, which combines features of both common C-type carbonaceous asteroids and rarer B-type asteroids.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) selected Ryugu for study due to its classification as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA), its primitive carbon-rich composition, and its manageable size and slow rotation.

Understanding Ryugu's structure and composition could provide valuable insights into the formation of planets and the delivery of essential materials for life on Earth.

Researchers utilized the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at Argonne National Laboratory, employing X-rays for Mössbauer spectroscopy to analyze fragments of the Ryugu sample and assess iron oxidation rates.

Currently, Hayabusa 2 is on an extended mission, set to perform a fly-by of asteroid 98943 Torifune in 2026 and rendezvous with 1998 KY26 in 2031, further enhancing our understanding of asteroids.