1 00:00:01,788 --> 00:00:04,280 (dramatic orchestral music) 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:06,570 Today, the Earth is blessed 3 00:00:06,570 --> 00:00:08,863 with 30 million species of life, 4 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:12,360 but soon after the Earth formed, 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:14,400 it was covered in magma. 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:16,480 Scorching hot planet. 7 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:18,990 Neither life, nor the ingredients 8 00:00:18,990 --> 00:00:20,473 that would evolve into life. 9 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,803 How did life come into existence on this planet? 10 00:00:26,820 --> 00:00:29,350 In search of answers to this mystery, 11 00:00:29,350 --> 00:00:32,000 the space probe Hayabusa2, 12 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:37,000 was sent to an astroid 300 million kilometers off in space. 13 00:00:37,890 --> 00:00:41,700 The key to unlocking the mystery of life on Earth, 14 00:00:41,700 --> 00:00:43,783 may be found there. 15 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:50,520 For the first time in history, 16 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:53,643 Hayabusa2 blasts a hole in an asteroid, 17 00:00:54,690 --> 00:00:57,370 attempting to gather the ingredients of life 18 00:00:57,370 --> 00:00:58,883 from under the surface, 19 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,453 and encountering unimagined challenges. 20 00:01:05,810 --> 00:01:07,173 Where did we come from? 21 00:01:09,340 --> 00:01:13,470 We'll explore the great adventure of Hayabusa2, 22 00:01:13,470 --> 00:01:16,993 the search for origins of life on Earth. 23 00:01:26,340 --> 00:01:28,520 In December 2014, 24 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:32,943 the asteroid probe, Hayabusa2 began its journey into space. 25 00:01:35,610 --> 00:01:39,090 It was heading for an asteroid later named Ryugu, 26 00:01:39,090 --> 00:01:42,523 a small object orbiting between the Earth and Mars. 27 00:01:45,020 --> 00:01:48,270 The probe was to gather fragments of rock from the asteroid, 28 00:01:48,270 --> 00:01:50,013 and bring them back to Earth. 29 00:01:52,148 --> 00:01:55,610 A six-year round-trip adventure had begun. 30 00:01:58,500 --> 00:02:01,870 The Japanese Space Agency probe, Hayabusa2, 31 00:02:01,870 --> 00:02:05,870 is six meters long, and about three meters tall. 32 00:02:05,870 --> 00:02:08,140 It's equipped with a special device, 33 00:02:08,140 --> 00:02:11,003 engineered to gather samples from the asteroid. 34 00:02:13,730 --> 00:02:16,240 The tube extending from the bottom of the probe, 35 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:17,363 is a sampler horn. 36 00:02:19,630 --> 00:02:21,500 When its tip touches ground, 37 00:02:21,500 --> 00:02:24,187 it triggers a switch that fires a bullet. 38 00:02:26,380 --> 00:02:29,120 Rock on the surface is pulverized, 39 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,210 and the horn gathers fragments of the asteroid. 40 00:02:32,210 --> 00:02:35,143 These are sealed in a capsule for return to Earth. 41 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,623 That is the ultimate goal. 42 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:44,130 But the mission would deploy other tools first, 43 00:02:44,130 --> 00:02:47,160 before this high-risk last shot, 44 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,770 specialized devices built into the spacecraft, 45 00:02:50,770 --> 00:02:52,963 will be used to land on the asteroid. 46 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:56,810 The first is MASCOT, 47 00:02:56,810 --> 00:02:59,033 a tool to get to know the asteroid. 48 00:03:00,420 --> 00:03:03,040 Just 30 centimeters on a side, 49 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:04,800 the lander carries a camera 50 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,033 that will bounce along the surface, taking pictures. 51 00:03:10,110 --> 00:03:12,040 Before the main craft lands, 52 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,463 MASCOT will be dropped on to Ryugu. 53 00:03:18,170 --> 00:03:20,740 The second device is the target marker, 54 00:03:20,740 --> 00:03:22,913 which marks the landing zone for the craft. 55 00:03:24,260 --> 00:03:26,453 It's ball-shaped and reflects light. 56 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,490 It will be dropped from straight above the asteroid, 57 00:03:30,490 --> 00:03:32,453 and guide the craft as it lands. 58 00:03:38,430 --> 00:03:42,890 Every effort went into configuring the Hayabusa2 probe. 59 00:03:42,890 --> 00:03:44,660 But what lay ahead, 60 00:03:44,660 --> 00:03:47,250 is a reality far more challenging 61 00:03:47,250 --> 00:03:50,103 than anyone could have imagined. 62 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,970 The team assembles in the Hayabusa2 control room, 63 00:03:58,970 --> 00:04:02,723 at the JAXA Institute of Space and Astrological Science. 64 00:04:07,030 --> 00:04:10,400 Yuichi Tsuda is the Project Manager. 65 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,113 He is in charge, the leader of a 600-person team. 66 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,490 Tsuda was also involved in the first 67 00:04:32,490 --> 00:04:34,453 Hayabusa project at JAXA. 68 00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:41,773 He worked under the first Hayabusa project manager, 69 00:04:41,773 --> 00:04:44,230 Nichiro Kawaguchi, 70 00:04:44,230 --> 00:04:46,190 on a team of about a dozen people, 71 00:04:46,190 --> 00:04:47,553 who operated the probe. 72 00:04:51,410 --> 00:04:54,400 More than a decade later, Tsuda again 73 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:56,950 has taken on a challenging mission, 74 00:04:56,950 --> 00:04:58,873 this time as the leader. 75 00:05:03,470 --> 00:05:07,420 Kawaguchi assigned a young engineer, Takanao Saiki, 76 00:05:07,420 --> 00:05:09,910 the key task of bringing back samples 77 00:05:09,910 --> 00:05:13,573 from below the surface rocks of an asteroid. 78 00:05:24,660 --> 00:05:26,810 In June, 2018, 79 00:05:26,810 --> 00:05:30,053 Hayabusa2 arrived above the asteroid Ryugu. 80 00:05:30,970 --> 00:05:33,630 Seen from a close distance for the first time, 81 00:05:33,630 --> 00:05:36,600 Ryugu was rugged and rock-strewn, 82 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:38,703 an unusual celestial body. 83 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:50,020 Could the project team find a safe landing area? 84 00:05:50,020 --> 00:05:52,423 The team members immediately went to work. 85 00:05:54,635 --> 00:05:58,302 (dramatic orchestral music) 86 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:02,723 They started by making a detailed map of the asteroid. 87 00:06:05,730 --> 00:06:08,000 From a distance of 20 kilometers, 88 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,360 they took photographs of every feature 89 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:11,913 on the surface of Ryugu. 90 00:06:16,310 --> 00:06:19,470 Then they bounced a laser beam off the surface, 91 00:06:19,470 --> 00:06:21,423 the measure the height of each area. 92 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:26,063 From this data, the team created a three-dimensional map. 93 00:06:30,670 --> 00:06:32,350 Ryugu had a peculiar shape 94 00:06:32,350 --> 00:06:34,973 that surprised scientists across the globe. 95 00:06:36,340 --> 00:06:41,220 An aggregate of rock fragments that formed a diamond, 96 00:06:41,220 --> 00:06:43,653 a very strange celestial body. 97 00:06:44,550 --> 00:06:48,343 How in the world did it come to have this shape? 98 00:06:50,410 --> 00:06:54,640 In Colorado, a scientist has analyzed the asteroid's shape 99 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,053 to deduce the origin of its formation. 100 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:03,393 Astrophysicist Kevin Walsh specializes in asteroid research. 101 00:07:04,230 --> 00:07:08,410 In a computer simulation of a similar object in space, 102 00:07:08,410 --> 00:07:11,100 when the speed of its rotation increases, 103 00:07:11,100 --> 00:07:14,623 its shape changes before our eyes. 104 00:07:17,220 --> 00:07:20,420 So if we take an asteroid of this diamond shape, 105 00:07:20,420 --> 00:07:23,570 we think that this bulge at the equator 106 00:07:23,570 --> 00:07:25,260 is due to rapid spin, 107 00:07:25,260 --> 00:07:27,840 causing material to move from the mid-latitudes, 108 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:29,960 or even the poles, down to the equator. 109 00:07:33,150 --> 00:07:34,920 Billions of years ago, 110 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,170 asteroids collided violently, 111 00:07:37,170 --> 00:07:39,943 and smashed into a myriad of fragments. 112 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,180 These free-gloating pieces rotated at high speed, 113 00:07:47,180 --> 00:07:48,510 and over time, 114 00:07:48,510 --> 00:07:51,340 they accumulated through the force of gravity, 115 00:07:51,340 --> 00:07:52,543 and formed an aggregate. 116 00:07:55,070 --> 00:07:58,040 That's how the diamond-shaped asteroid, Ryugu, 117 00:07:58,040 --> 00:07:59,133 came into being. 118 00:08:02,740 --> 00:08:04,870 This presented a major barrier 119 00:08:04,870 --> 00:08:07,227 when it came to landing Hayabusa2. 120 00:08:08,270 --> 00:08:11,100 In fact, the potential landing zones 121 00:08:11,100 --> 00:08:13,760 were restricted to an area 30 degrees 122 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,613 north and south of the equator. 123 00:08:21,190 --> 00:08:24,200 Hayabusa2 runs on solar power cells, 124 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,850 and if it strayed too far from the equator, 125 00:08:26,850 --> 00:08:29,200 it would receive insufficient sunlight 126 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:30,663 to continue its mission. 127 00:08:34,930 --> 00:08:36,640 Given these conditions, 128 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,613 the team discussed potential landing zones. 129 00:08:51,060 --> 00:08:54,040 To land safely, Hayabusa2 required 130 00:08:54,040 --> 00:08:57,590 a flat area of about 100 meters square, 131 00:08:57,590 --> 00:09:00,683 but the terrain offered no such safe space. 132 00:09:04,130 --> 00:09:08,210 Only 15 sites offered anything close to safety. 133 00:09:08,210 --> 00:09:11,293 And the final candidates were further narrowed to seven. 134 00:09:12,250 --> 00:09:14,803 These sites were evaluated in detail, 135 00:09:15,690 --> 00:09:18,490 when a new obstacle suddenly threatened 136 00:09:18,490 --> 00:09:20,583 to scuttle the whole mission. 137 00:09:31,180 --> 00:09:34,270 In order to collect rock fragments from Ryugu, 138 00:09:34,270 --> 00:09:37,900 the sampler horn has to touch down on the surface. 139 00:09:37,900 --> 00:09:40,750 But the horn is only one meter long. 140 00:09:40,750 --> 00:09:43,020 If a boulder is larger than that, 141 00:09:43,020 --> 00:09:45,680 the body of the probe will collide with it, 142 00:09:45,680 --> 00:09:47,593 placing it in danger. 143 00:09:56,300 --> 00:09:58,230 The final seven candidate sites 144 00:09:58,230 --> 00:10:00,850 were all dangerous locations. 145 00:10:00,850 --> 00:10:04,003 The project had encountered an unexpected obstacle. 146 00:10:08,610 --> 00:10:12,800 There was no site where a landing could easily take place. 147 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,483 The team had to find a way past this unforeseen hurdle. 148 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,360 In August, over 100 project members came together 149 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:22,833 to discuss the problem. 150 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,540 Among the participants was Junichiro Kawaguchi, 151 00:10:28,540 --> 00:10:31,943 Project Manager for the first Hayabusa project. 152 00:10:32,900 --> 00:10:36,253 He suggested looking at the problem from different angles. 153 00:10:37,250 --> 00:10:39,850 Mission leader Tsuda then came up 154 00:10:39,850 --> 00:10:41,550 with a new imperative for landing. 155 00:10:43,910 --> 00:10:48,150 We want to acquire experience 156 00:10:48,150 --> 00:10:52,103 by doing such very close-guidance navigation. 157 00:10:52,940 --> 00:10:54,670 According to Tsuda, 158 00:10:54,670 --> 00:10:57,300 descent training exercises could improve 159 00:10:57,300 --> 00:10:58,780 the probe's accuracy, 160 00:10:58,780 --> 00:11:01,533 and avoid dangerous boulders when landing. 161 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:06,710 After nine hours of discussion, LO8-B, 162 00:11:06,710 --> 00:11:09,340 an area with relatively fewer rocks 163 00:11:09,340 --> 00:11:12,033 was selected as the prospective landing site. 164 00:11:15,030 --> 00:11:18,960 The probe is 300 million kilometers in space. 165 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,450 For radio signals to reach that distance 166 00:11:21,450 --> 00:11:24,160 takes about 17 minutes. 167 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:27,340 If a threat is discovered during final descent, 168 00:11:27,340 --> 00:11:29,970 commands from Earth arrive too late, 169 00:11:29,970 --> 00:11:31,503 and the probe crashes. 170 00:11:32,500 --> 00:11:36,760 To overcome this problem Hayabusa2's onboard computer 171 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:39,300 engages an autonomous flight, 172 00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:42,820 making its own observations, and judgments, 173 00:11:42,820 --> 00:11:43,993 while in motion. 174 00:11:48,060 --> 00:11:50,163 September 11th, 2018, 175 00:11:51,330 --> 00:11:54,010 the probe approaches the LO8 landing site 176 00:11:54,010 --> 00:11:55,793 to conduct observations. 177 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,350 The plan is to have the craft descend 178 00:12:02,350 --> 00:12:04,840 to 30 meters above the surface, 179 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:07,263 and examine each of the rocks at the site. 180 00:12:12,310 --> 00:12:14,073 The descent begins. 181 00:12:16,820 --> 00:12:20,920 This is a faithful visualization of Hayabusa2's flight, 182 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,213 based on actual data from the probe. 183 00:12:28,340 --> 00:12:31,323 Hayabusa2 maintains a steady descent. 184 00:12:35,660 --> 00:12:40,280 As it reaches an altitude of 600 meters above the surface, 185 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:43,253 suddenly the data transmission breaks off. 186 00:12:59,238 --> 00:13:00,740 Hayabusa2's altimeter 187 00:13:00,740 --> 00:13:02,453 shows an abnormal number. 188 00:13:03,610 --> 00:13:05,640 In an instant, the reading jumps 189 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,663 from 600 to 7,000 meters above the asteroid. 190 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:13,843 What happened to Hayabusa2? 191 00:13:15,460 --> 00:13:17,960 This was an emergency. 192 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:20,330 Due to this unforeseen development, 193 00:13:20,330 --> 00:13:23,440 the landing was postponed indefinitely. 194 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:26,070 Could the probe ever return to Earth, 195 00:13:26,070 --> 00:13:29,000 with evidence that the building blocks of life 196 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:31,483 came from a rain of asteroids? 197 00:13:34,350 --> 00:13:37,870 A discovery that linked life's origins with asteroids, 198 00:13:37,870 --> 00:13:40,743 was made in California in 2012. 199 00:13:43,150 --> 00:13:45,820 Amateur photographers, Lisa and Rick Warren, 200 00:13:45,820 --> 00:13:47,963 were taking their morning walk one day. 201 00:13:50,690 --> 00:13:53,700 I looked into the sky, 202 00:13:53,700 --> 00:13:57,390 and I saw this flash, 203 00:13:57,390 --> 00:13:59,307 so I told Lisa, I said, 204 00:13:59,307 --> 00:14:01,090 "Hey, look at that." 205 00:14:01,090 --> 00:14:04,190 All I did was just grab my camera. 206 00:14:04,190 --> 00:14:05,023 I didn't even know. 207 00:14:05,023 --> 00:14:07,440 I honestly didn't see anything. 208 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,740 I just pushed the button, 209 00:14:09,740 --> 00:14:11,663 and happened to catch three pictures. 210 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:17,510 A streak of light cutting across the sky. 211 00:14:17,510 --> 00:14:20,020 Lisa had captured images of a meteorite 212 00:14:20,020 --> 00:14:22,980 plunging towards Earth from outer space, 213 00:14:22,980 --> 00:14:25,053 and disappearing behind a mountain. 214 00:14:29,870 --> 00:14:32,540 Prompted by the Warrens' eyewitness report, 215 00:14:32,540 --> 00:14:34,893 a research scientist raced to the site. 216 00:14:37,810 --> 00:14:40,703 Peter Jenniskens is a prominent meteorite hunter. 217 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:47,870 He and a colleague search the vicinity 218 00:14:47,870 --> 00:14:49,510 where the meteorite landed, 219 00:14:49,510 --> 00:14:50,763 but found nothing. 220 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:58,713 Disappointed, Peter gave up for the day, and left the site. 221 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:04,070 After about an hour of searching, 222 00:15:04,070 --> 00:15:05,653 I arrived back at the car, 223 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:08,960 and suddenly I noticed that just a few meters from the car 224 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,463 are these little bits of black rock. 225 00:15:13,870 --> 00:15:14,993 And that was it. 226 00:15:15,890 --> 00:15:17,490 That's what we were looking for. 227 00:15:18,330 --> 00:15:20,040 Look how fortunate. 228 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:21,230 This is where you parked the car, 229 00:15:21,230 --> 00:15:22,913 that's where the meteorite was. 230 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:29,290 So let me show you what we found. 231 00:15:31,790 --> 00:15:36,790 It's a very dark, blue rock. 232 00:15:37,130 --> 00:15:39,070 This is what he found, 233 00:15:39,070 --> 00:15:40,720 a small black rock, 234 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,030 about one centimeter in size, 235 00:15:43,030 --> 00:15:45,563 dubbed, The Sutter's Mill Meteorite. 236 00:15:49,070 --> 00:15:50,550 I did not immediately recognize 237 00:15:50,550 --> 00:15:52,180 that this is what I was looking for, 238 00:15:52,180 --> 00:15:54,980 because I wasn't that familiar 239 00:15:54,980 --> 00:15:56,737 with this type of meteorite. 240 00:15:57,610 --> 00:15:59,460 This strange black meteorite 241 00:15:59,460 --> 00:16:03,023 was sent to scientists around the world for analysis. 242 00:16:04,390 --> 00:16:08,057 (dramatic orchestral music) 243 00:16:09,470 --> 00:16:12,478 Among them was Sandra Pizzarello, 244 00:16:12,478 --> 00:16:14,210 and world-renowned authority, 245 00:16:14,210 --> 00:16:16,080 who at 86, has spent 246 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:19,714 over half a century studying meteorites. 247 00:16:19,714 --> 00:16:23,381 (dramatic orchestral music) 248 00:16:24,770 --> 00:16:27,610 Inside the fragment, she found a substance 249 00:16:27,610 --> 00:16:30,083 that was surprising, even to her. 250 00:16:32,420 --> 00:16:36,080 Oxygen-containing organic material, 251 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,570 which I'd never seen before. 252 00:16:38,570 --> 00:16:43,570 But they offered a glimpse of molecular evolution 253 00:16:44,780 --> 00:16:48,500 of the biogenic elements that preceded life. 254 00:16:51,460 --> 00:16:53,760 Her analysis uncovered a substance 255 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,573 that is a building block of all life forms. 256 00:16:58,470 --> 00:17:01,270 The fragment contained a chain of carbon atoms 257 00:17:01,270 --> 00:17:04,150 with an oxygen atom at one end. 258 00:17:04,150 --> 00:17:07,403 It could be called a scrap of life. 259 00:17:11,580 --> 00:17:13,400 From the most ancient life forms, 260 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,460 to life on Earth today, 261 00:17:15,460 --> 00:17:17,563 all living things are made of cells. 262 00:17:23,110 --> 00:17:26,173 Each one of those cells is enclosed by a membrane. 263 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:34,390 Cell membranes are comprised of long chains of carbon, 264 00:17:34,390 --> 00:17:35,953 lined up in long rows. 265 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:39,600 What surprised Pizzarello, 266 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:41,300 was that the meteorite contained 267 00:17:41,300 --> 00:17:43,900 those long chains of carbon, 268 00:17:43,900 --> 00:17:46,443 that scrap of life. 269 00:17:53,980 --> 00:17:57,250 In fact, science has run into a stumbling block 270 00:17:57,250 --> 00:17:59,743 regarding the origin of life on Earth. 271 00:18:03,890 --> 00:18:06,520 Until recently, the prevailing theory 272 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:08,360 was that these carbon chains 273 00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:10,930 were formed from materials that flowed up 274 00:18:10,930 --> 00:18:13,190 from within the Earth. 275 00:18:13,190 --> 00:18:15,500 However, with more research, 276 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:19,133 it became clear that these chains were quite scarce. 277 00:18:20,460 --> 00:18:23,623 Where then did the building blocks of life come from? 278 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:30,440 Meteorites provided hints that might unlock this mystery. 279 00:18:36,630 --> 00:18:39,530 In the far reaches of this starry sky, 280 00:18:39,530 --> 00:18:41,830 lie innumerable celestial objects, 281 00:18:41,830 --> 00:18:44,620 that are the source of meteorites. 282 00:18:44,620 --> 00:18:48,103 These are the asteroids that float within the solar system. 283 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,210 Examining these asteroids one by one, 284 00:18:52,210 --> 00:18:53,877 it was found that one of them 285 00:18:53,877 --> 00:18:58,460 had the same color components as the black meteorite. 286 00:18:58,460 --> 00:19:01,083 It was the asteroid, Ryugu. 287 00:19:09,500 --> 00:19:13,133 What was the reason behind Hayabusa2's sudden ascent? 288 00:19:15,150 --> 00:19:17,730 It turns out that the surface of Ryugu, 289 00:19:17,730 --> 00:19:20,143 is too dark to reflect much light. 290 00:19:25,130 --> 00:19:29,360 Hayabusa2 could no longer tell how high it was. 291 00:19:29,360 --> 00:19:33,433 Sensing danger, it shifted into an emergency ascent. 292 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:41,050 It is believed the surface of Ryugu is so dark, 293 00:19:41,050 --> 00:19:43,333 because it widely covered with carbon. 294 00:19:45,100 --> 00:19:46,590 Across the world, 295 00:19:46,590 --> 00:19:51,000 scientific interest in the probe of Ryugu grew even greater. 296 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,110 For JAXA, the stakes were high. 297 00:19:54,110 --> 00:19:57,443 Can the team successfully return with a sample? 298 00:20:01,420 --> 00:20:04,690 During the down time for reviewing the landing plan, 299 00:20:04,690 --> 00:20:08,113 the flight team conducts three practice descent runs. 300 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,913 First, they would need to drop their surface camera probe. 301 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,110 On October 3rd, MASCOT was dispatched 302 00:20:18,110 --> 00:20:20,760 to investigate the surface of Ryugu, 303 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:22,833 prior to the landing of Hayabusa2. 304 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,340 German and French scientists who built MASCOT, 305 00:20:30,340 --> 00:20:33,513 followed closely as the probe began its descent. 306 00:20:38,550 --> 00:20:41,740 When the craft reached an altitude of 51 meters, 307 00:20:41,740 --> 00:20:43,803 the MASCOT lander detached. 308 00:20:54,020 --> 00:20:57,283 These photographs were taken as MASCOT was falling. 309 00:20:58,940 --> 00:21:00,910 Spinning as it fell, 310 00:21:00,910 --> 00:21:04,063 it landed on the surface without incident. 311 00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:14,380 The first closeup images of Ryugu 312 00:21:14,380 --> 00:21:17,570 showed an unusual world of just dark rock, 313 00:21:17,570 --> 00:21:20,060 with no sand or dust. 314 00:21:20,060 --> 00:21:22,800 A surface strewn with rough boulders. 315 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,330 It was clear that the landing 316 00:21:24,330 --> 00:21:26,353 would face severe difficulties. 317 00:21:28,690 --> 00:21:32,940 On October 25th, a rehearsal of the landing was conducted. 318 00:21:32,940 --> 00:21:34,120 The probe would descend 319 00:21:34,120 --> 00:21:36,960 toward the newly selected landing site, 320 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:39,963 approaching as close as possible to the asteroid. 321 00:21:41,230 --> 00:21:44,090 Tsuda wanted to ensure they succeeded in dropping 322 00:21:44,090 --> 00:21:46,833 the target marker that would guide the landing. 323 00:21:47,980 --> 00:21:50,340 The plan called for Hayabusa2 324 00:21:50,340 --> 00:21:55,140 to descend toward the landing site, LO8-B. 325 00:21:55,140 --> 00:21:57,530 From a height of only 12 meters, 326 00:21:57,530 --> 00:21:59,830 the target marker would be dropped. 327 00:21:59,830 --> 00:22:03,090 The goal, fall within the 20 meter circle 328 00:22:03,090 --> 00:22:04,273 of the landing site. 329 00:22:05,410 --> 00:22:08,200 Then Hayabusa2 would ascend to a spot 330 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,840 directly above the target marker and stop. 331 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:15,563 This would confirm the stabilization of the craft. 332 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:20,363 The target marker operation is about to begin. 333 00:22:23,290 --> 00:22:25,853 Hayabusa2 approaches Ryugu. 334 00:22:30,230 --> 00:22:33,050 It passes the 40 meter mark. 335 00:22:33,050 --> 00:22:34,603 All are anxious. 336 00:22:47,660 --> 00:22:52,430 The marker is released as planned, success! 337 00:22:52,430 --> 00:22:57,037 This is the actual image filmed by the probe. 338 00:22:57,037 --> 00:22:59,663 The white dot is the falling marker. 339 00:23:02,910 --> 00:23:03,743 It has landed, 340 00:23:07,820 --> 00:23:09,793 then bounces and rolls. 341 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:16,340 After rolling for about two meters, 342 00:23:16,340 --> 00:23:18,423 it hits a rock and stops. 343 00:23:20,890 --> 00:23:22,916 Detecting the target marker, 344 00:23:22,916 --> 00:23:27,810 Hayabusa2 ascends and stops in position directly above it. 345 00:23:27,810 --> 00:23:29,673 The craft is perfectly stable. 346 00:23:31,610 --> 00:23:34,360 (group laughing) 347 00:23:38,730 --> 00:23:41,773 The all-important landing marker has been set. 348 00:23:54,660 --> 00:23:55,870 But that night, 349 00:23:55,870 --> 00:23:58,253 the team makes a disturbing discovery. 350 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,740 When they examine the location of the marker, 351 00:24:04,740 --> 00:24:08,110 they realize it was outside the 20-meter circle 352 00:24:08,110 --> 00:24:09,233 of the landing site. 353 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:15,000 Here was a new obstacle for the project team. 354 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:18,260 The marker had missed the target area. 355 00:24:18,260 --> 00:24:22,223 But Hayabusa2 needed a marker to guide its safe landing. 356 00:24:23,060 --> 00:24:25,550 They had to find a new landing site, 357 00:24:25,550 --> 00:24:27,313 where the marker would be visible. 358 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:35,170 A possible solution was proposed by Tomokatsu Marota, 359 00:24:35,170 --> 00:24:37,333 an expert in lunar topography. 360 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,670 He suggested calculating the height of the rocks 361 00:24:44,670 --> 00:24:47,223 near the marker with greater precision. 362 00:24:50,210 --> 00:24:52,780 All off the images sent by Hayabusa2 363 00:24:52,780 --> 00:24:55,360 were captured from directly above. 364 00:24:55,360 --> 00:24:58,453 They showed the width of the rocks, but not their height. 365 00:25:00,900 --> 00:25:02,820 But Marota noticed that the rocks 366 00:25:02,820 --> 00:25:05,203 cast faintly visible shadows. 367 00:25:09,870 --> 00:25:12,400 Since the position of the sun was known, 368 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,710 it should be possible the height of the rocks 369 00:25:15,710 --> 00:25:17,653 from the length of their shadows. 370 00:25:22,020 --> 00:25:25,350 Marota measured the rock shadows near the target marker, 371 00:25:25,350 --> 00:25:29,733 one by one, and calculated the height of countless rocks. 372 00:25:47,150 --> 00:25:49,230 As a result, he ascertained 373 00:25:49,230 --> 00:25:52,660 that there was just one area near the target marker, 374 00:25:52,660 --> 00:25:55,350 only six meters in diameter, 375 00:25:55,350 --> 00:25:58,210 where the craft could land safely, 376 00:25:58,210 --> 00:26:02,110 far smaller than the original estimated 100 meters 377 00:26:02,110 --> 00:26:03,463 needed for safety. 378 00:26:05,020 --> 00:26:06,700 And the area was around the marker 379 00:26:06,700 --> 00:26:09,240 was crowded with big boulders. 380 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,483 Hit any one, and it would end the mission. 381 00:26:14,230 --> 00:26:17,770 Was there a route that avoided the dangerous boulders, 382 00:26:17,770 --> 00:26:20,893 while still keeping the target marker in sight? 383 00:26:21,860 --> 00:26:26,440 The team simulated some 100,000 routes of descent. 384 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,440 They finally found an approach 385 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:30,433 that would result in a sure landing. 386 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:33,660 This involved following the marker guide 387 00:26:33,660 --> 00:26:35,180 to a certain height, 388 00:26:35,180 --> 00:26:39,830 stopping, then carefully moving six meters horizontally, 389 00:26:39,830 --> 00:26:41,423 before finishing the descent. 390 00:26:43,150 --> 00:26:46,060 This strategy would enable the six-meter wide Hayabusa2 391 00:26:47,210 --> 00:26:50,423 to land in the six-meters-wide landing site. 392 00:26:55,490 --> 00:26:59,080 February 21st, 2019, 393 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:00,680 it's the start of a harrowing 394 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:03,634 24-hour-long touchdown mission. 395 00:27:03,634 --> 00:27:07,880 (dramatic orchestral music) 396 00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:11,810 An error in the numeric data of the Hayabusa2 computer 397 00:27:11,810 --> 00:27:13,783 will take five hours to correct. 398 00:27:19,010 --> 00:27:21,970 The asteroid Ryugu is rotating. 399 00:27:21,970 --> 00:27:24,780 If the departure is delayed by five hours, 400 00:27:24,780 --> 00:27:27,183 the landing area will also shift. 401 00:27:30,530 --> 00:27:33,240 Should they abort the mission for today? 402 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:34,840 Or should they dare to continue? 403 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:54,673 Tsuda decides 404 00:27:54,673 --> 00:27:57,350 to continue the landing operation. 405 00:27:57,350 --> 00:27:59,630 The team will increase the speed of descent 406 00:27:59,630 --> 00:28:01,650 to make up lost time, 407 00:28:01,650 --> 00:28:04,293 aiming to land at the original target site. 408 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:13,640 Hayabusa2 uses more of its jets to approach Ryugu 409 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,573 at twice the originally planned speed. 410 00:28:23,390 --> 00:28:27,263 By that evening, they've been able to make up the lost time. 411 00:28:37,580 --> 00:28:40,563 The next morning, the day of the landing. 412 00:28:46,288 --> 00:28:49,455 Hayabusa2 is now only 500 meters away. 413 00:28:50,700 --> 00:28:54,030 That's just 1,500 feet from its target, 414 00:28:54,030 --> 00:28:55,433 the asteroid Ryugu. 415 00:28:56,810 --> 00:28:59,060 This is the final hurdle, 416 00:28:59,060 --> 00:29:01,180 the decision must be made now, 417 00:29:01,180 --> 00:29:04,380 whether to go for the landing or turn back. 418 00:29:04,380 --> 00:29:08,937 If it's a go, Hayabusa2 will switch to autonomous flight. 419 00:29:24,980 --> 00:29:29,070 Communications, flight control, altimeter, 420 00:29:29,070 --> 00:29:32,790 only after all 13 teams signal okay 421 00:29:32,790 --> 00:29:35,300 will the landing mission be green-lighted. 422 00:30:02,870 --> 00:30:06,590 The landing is a go, the command has been sent, 423 00:30:06,590 --> 00:30:09,573 and the probe switches to autonomous flight. 424 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:36,270 Now it's 45 meters to Ryugu. 425 00:30:36,270 --> 00:30:39,823 These computer graphics are based on actual flight data. 426 00:30:42,126 --> 00:30:44,693 Hayabusa2 locates the target marker. 427 00:30:50,350 --> 00:30:53,160 The probe reads the asteroid's topography, 428 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:55,813 and makes fine adjustments to its position. 429 00:30:58,500 --> 00:31:02,033 And then it heads straight down towards the target marker. 430 00:31:09,830 --> 00:31:13,640 From here on, detailed data from Hayabusa2 431 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:15,760 will not reach Earth. 432 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:18,200 The team can only watch the monitor 433 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:20,283 indicating the probe's speed. 434 00:31:26,260 --> 00:31:29,410 Data sent afterward showed that the probe halted 435 00:31:29,410 --> 00:31:32,700 at an altitude of 8.5 meters. 436 00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:36,730 As planned, it made a painstaking horizontal move 437 00:31:36,730 --> 00:31:38,543 to avoid the large boulder. 438 00:31:45,090 --> 00:31:48,640 Turning its jets on and off numerous times, 439 00:31:48,640 --> 00:31:52,800 the probe aims for a space barely bigger than itself, 440 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,623 only six meters wide, to make its touchdown. 441 00:32:17,210 --> 00:32:20,060 The control room is in countdown mode. 442 00:32:20,060 --> 00:32:23,543 At 50 seconds, Hayabusa2 should be landing. 443 00:32:27,130 --> 00:32:30,473 When it touches down, a red dot should appear here. 444 00:32:43,770 --> 00:32:46,373 Still, no red dot. 445 00:33:11,523 --> 00:33:14,518 (group exclaiming) 446 00:33:14,518 --> 00:33:17,435 (group applauding) 447 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:36,610 This is the moment they knew 448 00:33:36,610 --> 00:33:39,003 all the obstacles had been overcome. 449 00:33:40,850 --> 00:33:43,767 (soft vocal music) 450 00:33:51,070 --> 00:33:53,470 This is the image of the first touchdown 451 00:33:53,470 --> 00:33:56,903 recreated faithfully from the probe's flight data. 452 00:34:07,300 --> 00:34:10,303 February 22nd, 7:29 a.m. 453 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:15,723 Hayabusa2 had finally touched down on the asteroid Ryugu. 454 00:34:49,580 --> 00:34:52,860 14 years after the first Hayabusa mission, 455 00:34:52,860 --> 00:34:55,310 the project team accepted the challenge 456 00:34:55,310 --> 00:34:57,583 of conquering unknown realms. 457 00:34:58,706 --> 00:35:02,206 (gentle orchestral music) 458 00:35:05,300 --> 00:35:09,140 But there is one more task ahead for Tsuda and Saiki, 459 00:35:09,140 --> 00:35:10,630 and the team. 460 00:35:10,630 --> 00:35:13,010 Explode a crater on Ryugu, 461 00:35:13,010 --> 00:35:17,340 to capture uncontaminated samples from under the surface. 462 00:35:17,340 --> 00:35:20,810 It's risky, and could jeopardize the probe, 463 00:35:20,810 --> 00:35:23,670 and the hard-won sample inside. 464 00:35:23,670 --> 00:35:24,873 The whole mission. 465 00:35:25,940 --> 00:35:27,870 But it is crucial. 466 00:35:27,870 --> 00:35:31,210 A new subsurface sample could hold the key 467 00:35:31,210 --> 00:35:33,960 to understand how and when 468 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:36,690 the earliest building blocks for life 469 00:35:36,690 --> 00:35:38,963 may have arrived on Earth. 470 00:36:02,020 --> 00:36:05,810 This dangerous second mission for the Hayabusa2 team 471 00:36:05,810 --> 00:36:09,300 was spurred by research into when the oldest forms 472 00:36:09,300 --> 00:36:11,023 of life on Earth originated. 473 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:14,910 This is the Labrador region of Canada, 474 00:36:14,910 --> 00:36:16,990 near the Arctic Circle. 475 00:36:16,990 --> 00:36:21,413 In 2017, something remarkable was discovered here. 476 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:28,840 Breaking off a piece of rock and examining it, 477 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:30,523 black grains were found. 478 00:36:34,720 --> 00:36:36,290 When they were analyzed, 479 00:36:36,290 --> 00:36:39,453 they were found to be traces of microorganisms. 480 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:45,580 They dated back 3.95 billion years. 481 00:36:45,580 --> 00:36:47,180 These grains were traces 482 00:36:47,180 --> 00:36:49,533 of the oldest forms of life on Earth. 483 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:55,940 Further, they were already advanced enough, 484 00:36:55,940 --> 00:36:58,743 that they grouped together to form a colony. 485 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:07,190 In fact, the dating of the oldest forms of life on Earth 486 00:37:07,190 --> 00:37:09,933 has been pushed ever farther back in time. 487 00:37:12,210 --> 00:37:14,500 For many years, scientists believed 488 00:37:14,500 --> 00:37:16,420 that the earliest forms of life 489 00:37:16,420 --> 00:37:19,223 appeared 3.5 billion years ago. 490 00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:24,490 Then, in 1999, 491 00:37:24,490 --> 00:37:29,103 traces of life were discovered from 3.7 billion years ago. 492 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,250 Then the discovery made in 2017, 493 00:37:34,250 --> 00:37:36,580 pushed the timeline back further 494 00:37:36,580 --> 00:37:39,240 to nearly four billion years. 495 00:37:39,240 --> 00:37:43,193 The world's textbooks have been repeatedly revised. 496 00:38:12,216 --> 00:38:13,160 The formation of the Earth 497 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:16,453 dates back some 4.5 billion years. 498 00:38:17,350 --> 00:38:20,450 The surface was covered by an ocean of magma, 499 00:38:20,450 --> 00:38:24,880 with scorching temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius. 500 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:28,343 Of course, the raw material of life was not present. 501 00:38:32,860 --> 00:38:35,960 From these beginnings, life emerged on Earth 502 00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:37,510 relatively quickly. 503 00:38:37,510 --> 00:38:38,703 It evolved rapidly. 504 00:38:39,730 --> 00:38:42,720 Why this happened is one of the greatest mysteries 505 00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:44,493 of contemporary science. 506 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:51,590 Faced with the need to revise their thinking, 507 00:38:51,590 --> 00:38:55,710 scientists began to look beyond the Earth, to space, 508 00:38:55,710 --> 00:38:57,373 for the origins of life. 509 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:18,340 Asteroids that came 510 00:39:18,340 --> 00:39:20,720 to ancient Earth from space, 511 00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:25,053 brought materials that provided the building blocks of life. 512 00:39:27,210 --> 00:39:30,877 (dramatic orchestral music) 513 00:39:43,517 --> 00:39:45,320 Ryugu is the type of asteroid 514 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:48,920 that contains large amounts of carbon and water. 515 00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:50,610 At the time of their formation, 516 00:39:50,610 --> 00:39:52,053 were very hot inside. 517 00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:57,150 As a result, an environment like a hot spring develops, 518 00:39:57,150 --> 00:40:00,443 which creates substances with longer chains of carbon. 519 00:40:03,670 --> 00:40:05,730 It is believed that this process 520 00:40:05,730 --> 00:40:09,193 created the substances that later evolved into life. 521 00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:14,778 In order to prove this theory, 522 00:40:14,778 --> 00:40:17,010 Hayabusa2 was designed to gather 523 00:40:17,010 --> 00:40:18,913 fragments of rock from Ryugu. 524 00:40:21,670 --> 00:40:26,070 But sampling rock from the surface would not suffice. 525 00:40:26,070 --> 00:40:27,990 Even on the same asteroid, 526 00:40:27,990 --> 00:40:30,380 matter that has been exposed to sun rays 527 00:40:30,380 --> 00:40:32,550 for long periods of time, 528 00:40:32,550 --> 00:40:35,063 is different from unexposed matter. 529 00:40:53,780 --> 00:40:55,840 Destructive light rays from the sun 530 00:40:55,840 --> 00:40:59,410 continue to strike the surface of the asteroid. 531 00:40:59,410 --> 00:41:03,233 The long chains of carbon atoms are severed and disbursed. 532 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:08,550 The sun doesn't penetrate the surface, 533 00:41:08,550 --> 00:41:10,270 so the long chains of carbon 534 00:41:10,270 --> 00:41:12,723 remain undamaged in the subsoil. 535 00:41:13,950 --> 00:41:16,600 To explore the roots of life on Earth, 536 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:19,000 the plan is to blast the asteroid, 537 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:22,893 and gather the uncompromised substances below the surface. 538 00:41:23,740 --> 00:41:27,730 That is Hayabusa2's most important mission, 539 00:41:27,730 --> 00:41:30,483 and the team's greatest challenge. 540 00:41:34,230 --> 00:41:37,770 There was great pressure on Takanao Saiki and his team, 541 00:41:37,770 --> 00:41:41,973 to devise a successful plan to collect subterranean sample. 542 00:41:48,585 --> 00:41:51,170 Saiki struggled with the problem 543 00:41:51,170 --> 00:41:54,923 of how to dig a hole on the face of a distant asteroid. 544 00:41:57,590 --> 00:42:01,420 One of the first plans called for firing a rocket at Ryugu, 545 00:42:01,420 --> 00:42:03,893 to cause an explosion on its surface, 546 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:06,210 but with this approach, 547 00:42:06,210 --> 00:42:08,130 the heat of the explosion would sever 548 00:42:08,130 --> 00:42:10,040 the long chains of carbon, 549 00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:11,773 so this idea was abandoned. 550 00:42:16,340 --> 00:42:19,110 There was also a proposal to land the probe 551 00:42:19,110 --> 00:42:21,270 and have it drill a hole, 552 00:42:21,270 --> 00:42:23,500 but this proved unworkable. 553 00:42:23,500 --> 00:42:25,800 The asteroid has weak gravity, 554 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:28,280 so it would require a large amount of fuel 555 00:42:28,280 --> 00:42:30,253 to hold the craft on the ground. 556 00:42:50,070 --> 00:42:51,500 Then, he visited 557 00:42:51,500 --> 00:42:54,460 an explosives manufacturer in Fukushima, 558 00:42:54,460 --> 00:42:56,833 with a plan that might salvage the mission. 559 00:42:57,740 --> 00:43:00,720 Saiki's proposal would work like this. 560 00:43:00,720 --> 00:43:03,980 A launching device would separate from Hayabusa2, 561 00:43:03,980 --> 00:43:07,130 and detonate, sending a projectile down 562 00:43:07,130 --> 00:43:09,083 to blast a hole in the asteroid. 563 00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:11,170 With this approach, 564 00:43:11,170 --> 00:43:14,883 the explosion would not burn the long carbon substances. 565 00:43:31,740 --> 00:43:33,990 Development of the device began. 566 00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:40,790 The goal was to keep it under 10 kilograms, 567 00:43:40,790 --> 00:43:42,820 but to make a projectile that would travel 568 00:43:42,820 --> 00:43:45,370 more than two kilometers per second, 569 00:43:45,370 --> 00:43:47,443 faster than a rifle bullet. 570 00:43:52,330 --> 00:43:55,310 Many trials were conducted before this device, 571 00:43:55,310 --> 00:43:57,163 an impactor, was completed. 572 00:44:00,820 --> 00:44:02,300 To reduce its weight, 573 00:44:02,300 --> 00:44:03,980 it has a simple cone shape, 574 00:44:03,980 --> 00:44:05,773 rather than the barrel of a cannon. 575 00:44:10,670 --> 00:44:12,320 The critical projectile 576 00:44:12,320 --> 00:44:14,943 will be made by deforming the copper disk. 577 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:20,650 When the explosives in the cone detonate, 578 00:44:20,650 --> 00:44:23,970 the energy is concentrated in the center of the disk, 579 00:44:23,970 --> 00:44:26,600 causing to form into a ball. 580 00:44:26,600 --> 00:44:30,343 This becomes the projectile striking the asteroid. 581 00:44:43,570 --> 00:44:46,390 A pointed projectile has greater force 582 00:44:46,390 --> 00:44:49,080 if it hits an object straight on. 583 00:44:49,080 --> 00:44:51,420 If it hits at even a slight angle, 584 00:44:51,420 --> 00:44:53,773 the impact is reduced dramatically. 585 00:44:54,720 --> 00:44:56,230 But with a round shape, 586 00:44:56,230 --> 00:44:58,903 the maximum impact is always achieved. 587 00:45:00,091 --> 00:45:03,758 (dramatic orchestral music) 588 00:45:08,390 --> 00:45:12,220 However, experiments showed it was very difficult 589 00:45:12,220 --> 00:45:15,623 to get the copper disk to form a near-perfect sphere. 590 00:45:16,620 --> 00:45:18,510 The experiments continued, 591 00:45:18,510 --> 00:45:20,290 making minute adjustments 592 00:45:20,290 --> 00:45:22,453 to the configuration of the device. 593 00:45:25,650 --> 00:45:28,440 Three years after development began, 594 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:30,440 a test firing was conducted, 595 00:45:30,440 --> 00:45:32,790 using the same amount of explosive 596 00:45:32,790 --> 00:45:34,523 as in the final design. 597 00:45:35,860 --> 00:45:39,140 It was a major, dangerous undertaking. 598 00:45:39,140 --> 00:45:40,750 If the test failed, 599 00:45:40,750 --> 00:45:44,400 the schedule for the launch of Hayabusa2 itself 600 00:45:44,400 --> 00:45:45,843 would be at risk. 601 00:45:47,827 --> 00:45:50,291 (siren blaring) 602 00:45:50,291 --> 00:45:52,449 (explosion) 603 00:45:52,449 --> 00:45:54,782 (explosion) 604 00:45:59,840 --> 00:46:02,580 The blasted copper disk formed a ball, 605 00:46:02,580 --> 00:46:03,923 just as designed. 606 00:46:13,180 --> 00:46:15,960 The device that would penetrate an asteroid, 607 00:46:15,960 --> 00:46:17,203 had been perfected. 608 00:46:26,300 --> 00:46:28,920 April, 2019. 609 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:32,120 The operation to blast a hole in an asteroid, 610 00:46:32,120 --> 00:46:34,030 for the first time in history, 611 00:46:34,030 --> 00:46:35,363 will soon be attempted. 612 00:46:38,530 --> 00:46:41,480 Directing the blasting operation is of course, 613 00:46:41,480 --> 00:46:43,810 Takanao Saiki. 614 00:46:43,810 --> 00:46:45,913 He sits at the center of the control room. 615 00:47:02,520 --> 00:47:05,560 Great risk is attached to the operation. 616 00:47:05,560 --> 00:47:07,750 There is a possibility it could destroy 617 00:47:07,750 --> 00:47:09,813 the Hayabusa2 space probe. 618 00:47:15,370 --> 00:47:17,450 When the impactor detonates, 619 00:47:17,450 --> 00:47:19,520 it breaks into many small fragments, 620 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:21,143 hurtling through space. 621 00:47:23,570 --> 00:47:26,830 If those chunks collide with Hayabusa2, 622 00:47:26,830 --> 00:47:28,963 they could deliver a fatal blow. 623 00:47:33,120 --> 00:47:36,680 There is only one zone where the craft will be safe, 624 00:47:36,680 --> 00:47:38,033 behind Ryugu. 625 00:47:39,060 --> 00:47:42,470 The strategy is to use the asteroid as a shield 626 00:47:42,470 --> 00:47:44,053 to evade the fragments. 627 00:47:46,880 --> 00:47:49,730 However, once released in space, 628 00:47:49,730 --> 00:47:52,490 the impactor can only maintain its target 629 00:47:52,490 --> 00:47:54,910 for a maximum of 40 minutes. 630 00:47:54,910 --> 00:47:58,080 It will take Hayabusa2 up to 37 minutes 631 00:47:58,080 --> 00:48:00,160 to reach the safe zone, 632 00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:02,863 a margin of just three minutes. 633 00:48:06,100 --> 00:48:08,680 Saiki has to direct this operation 634 00:48:08,680 --> 00:48:10,783 with no room for failure. 635 00:48:16,690 --> 00:48:21,223 At 10:56 a.m. Hayabusa2 releases the impactor. 636 00:48:23,850 --> 00:48:27,583 This is actual footage taken right after the release. 637 00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:31,850 The impactor's timer has begun ticking. 638 00:48:31,850 --> 00:48:34,293 It will detonate in 40 minutes. 639 00:48:41,386 --> 00:48:45,980 Hayabusa2 moves at maximum speed toward the safe zone. 640 00:48:45,980 --> 00:48:48,323 Will it arrive there in time? 641 00:48:49,590 --> 00:48:52,270 The team in the control room closely monitors 642 00:48:52,270 --> 00:48:53,793 the signal from Hayabusa2. 643 00:48:57,770 --> 00:48:59,560 It's the only way to verify 644 00:48:59,560 --> 00:49:02,313 that the spacecraft survived the operation. 645 00:49:10,570 --> 00:49:13,063 The countdown to detonation begins. 646 00:49:29,030 --> 00:49:31,320 If the signal continues for three minutes 647 00:49:31,320 --> 00:49:36,243 after the detonation, Hayabusa2 has survived. 648 00:50:03,147 --> 00:50:04,138 (applauding) 649 00:50:04,138 --> 00:50:06,721 Hayabusa2 is safe. 650 00:50:14,810 --> 00:50:17,720 Even while accepting congratulations, 651 00:50:17,720 --> 00:50:19,183 Saiki remains uncertain. 652 00:50:28,400 --> 00:50:30,730 He still didn't know if the projectile 653 00:50:30,730 --> 00:50:32,210 has hit its target, 654 00:50:32,210 --> 00:50:34,210 and succeeded in blasting the hole 655 00:50:34,210 --> 00:50:36,350 that could solve the mystery 656 00:50:36,350 --> 00:50:38,613 of the origins of life on Earth. 657 00:50:56,530 --> 00:50:59,183 Just then, an announcement is made. 658 00:51:14,230 --> 00:51:16,010 The latest image from Ryugu 659 00:51:16,010 --> 00:51:17,713 had arrived in the next room. 660 00:51:21,890 --> 00:51:25,430 In fact, as Hayabusa2 moved to shelter 661 00:51:25,430 --> 00:51:28,083 it released a small camera in space. 662 00:51:33,980 --> 00:51:36,370 The camera would attempt to capture an image 663 00:51:36,370 --> 00:51:38,100 of the moment of impact, 664 00:51:38,100 --> 00:51:40,650 which couldn't be seen from the back side of Ryugu. 665 00:51:42,020 --> 00:51:44,993 This is the image the camera captured. 666 00:51:49,240 --> 00:51:51,130 Two seconds after the blast, 667 00:51:51,130 --> 00:51:54,553 rocks were ejected to a height of several dozen meters. 668 00:52:03,640 --> 00:52:06,700 Conclusive evidence that a hole had been dug 669 00:52:06,700 --> 00:52:11,700 in an asteroid, deep in space, for the first time ever. 670 00:52:23,727 --> 00:52:26,690 (applauding) 671 00:52:26,690 --> 00:52:29,470 Saiki's decade long dream 672 00:52:29,470 --> 00:52:31,043 had been realized. 673 00:52:31,945 --> 00:52:35,612 (dramatic orchestral music) 674 00:52:49,052 --> 00:52:51,520 4.6 billion years ago, 675 00:52:51,520 --> 00:52:54,733 the solar system formed out of gas and dust. 676 00:52:58,910 --> 00:53:02,050 The sun's gravity attracted heavier materials, 677 00:53:02,050 --> 00:53:04,403 forming celestial bodies made of rock. 678 00:53:11,470 --> 00:53:15,653 These coalesced into rocky planets like Earth and Mars. 679 00:53:16,814 --> 00:53:19,814 (light vocal music) 680 00:53:24,650 --> 00:53:27,920 Further away from the sun, where it was cold, 681 00:53:27,920 --> 00:53:29,830 objects formed that contained 682 00:53:29,830 --> 00:53:32,033 large amounts of ice and carbon. 683 00:53:33,930 --> 00:53:37,300 Most of these were absorbed by gaseous planets, 684 00:53:37,300 --> 00:53:39,063 like Jupiter and Saturn. 685 00:53:42,290 --> 00:53:44,030 But some of the remained, 686 00:53:44,030 --> 00:53:46,253 to become asteroids like Ryugu. 687 00:53:53,570 --> 00:53:57,580 These asteroids, far off in the depths of space, 688 00:53:57,580 --> 00:54:00,903 would later provide the roots of life on Earth. 689 00:54:01,790 --> 00:54:04,373 How did this drama unfold? 690 00:54:06,104 --> 00:54:09,521 (light orchestral music) 691 00:54:12,250 --> 00:54:14,420 How was it that these asteroids, 692 00:54:14,420 --> 00:54:16,200 so distant in space, 693 00:54:16,200 --> 00:54:19,313 could have played a part in the origin of life on Earth? 694 00:54:20,440 --> 00:54:23,170 Kevin Walsh believes that a major upheaval 695 00:54:23,170 --> 00:54:25,510 in the solar system took place, 696 00:54:25,510 --> 00:54:29,003 which he likens to the scattering of dandelion seeds. 697 00:54:30,790 --> 00:54:33,710 In the same way that a dandelion, 698 00:54:33,710 --> 00:54:37,160 like a dandelion puff, full of all of its seeds, 699 00:54:37,160 --> 00:54:39,960 when the wind blows on that and poof, 700 00:54:39,960 --> 00:54:41,910 they go off and they float around, 701 00:54:41,910 --> 00:54:43,050 and they land in different parts 702 00:54:43,050 --> 00:54:45,060 of a beautiful lush meadow like this, 703 00:54:45,060 --> 00:54:47,680 each one of those carries the potential seeds 704 00:54:47,680 --> 00:54:49,473 for a new plant or for life. 705 00:54:50,860 --> 00:54:52,030 Walsh simulated 706 00:54:52,030 --> 00:54:53,930 what occurred in the solar system, 707 00:54:53,930 --> 00:54:56,105 soon after its formation, 708 00:54:56,105 --> 00:54:58,363 4.5 billion years ago. 709 00:55:03,320 --> 00:55:08,030 The solar system began as a great disk of gas and dust. 710 00:55:08,030 --> 00:55:10,560 The large planets, Jupiter and Saturn, 711 00:55:10,560 --> 00:55:11,863 were the first to form. 712 00:55:13,000 --> 00:55:16,350 In the inner region were asteroids made of rock. 713 00:55:16,350 --> 00:55:18,270 And floating in the outer region 714 00:55:18,270 --> 00:55:21,403 were asteroids containing carbon and water. 715 00:55:27,670 --> 00:55:32,150 Walsh recreated the ancient solar system on his computer. 716 00:55:32,150 --> 00:55:34,923 The red and blue dots are asteroids. 717 00:55:40,091 --> 00:55:43,090 So when we start this movie, a simulation, 718 00:55:43,090 --> 00:55:45,173 we see Jupiter migrating inwards. 719 00:55:47,010 --> 00:55:48,660 Now a big, important piece of this, 720 00:55:48,660 --> 00:55:51,400 is that the gas disk itself is evolving. 721 00:55:51,400 --> 00:55:54,170 It's moving and changing, it's flattening, 722 00:55:54,170 --> 00:55:56,710 and it's drifting in towards the sun. 723 00:55:56,710 --> 00:55:58,640 It's like it's stuck in a flood, 724 00:55:58,640 --> 00:56:01,353 and it pushes Jupiter inwards towards the sun. 725 00:56:05,490 --> 00:56:07,530 As time proceeds further, 726 00:56:07,530 --> 00:56:10,300 a mysterious phenomenon occurs, 727 00:56:10,300 --> 00:56:12,810 where Jupiter and Saturn had been migrating 728 00:56:12,810 --> 00:56:14,950 into the inner solar system, 729 00:56:14,950 --> 00:56:18,443 the now begin to move back into the outer region. 730 00:56:20,360 --> 00:56:21,750 The reason? 731 00:56:21,750 --> 00:56:26,260 Much of the gas in the disk had been swept up or scattered. 732 00:56:26,260 --> 00:56:29,690 The flow of gas toward the sun was diminished. 733 00:56:29,690 --> 00:56:33,663 And the force pushing Jupiter and Saturn inward, dissipated. 734 00:56:34,780 --> 00:56:37,920 So they began moving outward in what is called, 735 00:56:37,920 --> 00:56:39,233 the grand tack. 736 00:56:45,130 --> 00:56:47,710 So Jupiter and Saturn changed direction. 737 00:56:47,710 --> 00:56:49,220 What happens to them? 738 00:56:49,220 --> 00:56:52,350 So they had come all the way into the inner solar system, 739 00:56:52,350 --> 00:56:53,280 and now they're turning around 740 00:56:53,280 --> 00:56:55,600 and going all the way back out. 741 00:56:55,600 --> 00:56:58,870 And so they start encountering all of the small asteroids, 742 00:56:58,870 --> 00:57:01,600 that they had thrown further out in the solar system. 743 00:57:01,600 --> 00:57:03,240 And they throw some of those back, 744 00:57:03,240 --> 00:57:05,090 and they end up in the asteroid belt. 745 00:57:06,090 --> 00:57:08,520 This was the most significant incident 746 00:57:08,520 --> 00:57:10,770 in the history of the solar system, 747 00:57:10,770 --> 00:57:12,913 the great planetary migration. 748 00:57:15,750 --> 00:57:17,870 Walsh believes that this migration 749 00:57:17,870 --> 00:57:22,100 swept the building blocks of life toward Earth. 750 00:57:22,100 --> 00:57:25,163 Let's take a look at this grand spectacle. 751 00:57:34,540 --> 00:57:37,400 4.5 billion years ago, 752 00:57:37,400 --> 00:57:39,290 the newly formed solar system 753 00:57:39,290 --> 00:57:41,963 is wrapped in a dense field of gas. 754 00:57:43,550 --> 00:57:46,080 First, Jupiter forms. 755 00:57:46,080 --> 00:57:49,320 It is the largest planet in the solar system. 756 00:57:49,320 --> 00:57:51,570 Pressed by the drifting gasses, 757 00:57:51,570 --> 00:57:54,023 Jupiter begins to move toward the sun. 758 00:57:57,990 --> 00:58:01,113 The great planetary migration has begun. 759 00:58:10,150 --> 00:58:13,840 In Jupiter's path, lie rocky asteroids. 760 00:58:13,840 --> 00:58:16,170 When the planet passes close by, 761 00:58:16,170 --> 00:58:18,523 they are scattered in all directions. 762 00:58:19,677 --> 00:58:23,010 (dramatic orchestral music) 763 00:58:23,010 --> 00:58:26,453 Some of them land on Earth, in its primitive stage. 764 00:58:27,780 --> 00:58:29,963 This is how the Earth came to be. 765 00:58:35,510 --> 00:58:37,020 After some delay, 766 00:58:37,020 --> 00:58:40,313 Saturn too, begins to migrate toward the sun. 767 00:58:44,620 --> 00:58:47,210 Then the migration comes to a halt, 768 00:58:47,210 --> 00:58:49,060 for the time being. 769 00:58:49,060 --> 00:58:53,373 But an even greater convulsion is waiting in the future. 770 00:58:55,850 --> 00:58:58,060 The gas around Jupiter and Saturn 771 00:58:58,060 --> 00:59:01,440 is drawn in and scattered by the planets, 772 00:59:01,440 --> 00:59:03,233 and steadily dissipates. 773 00:59:06,620 --> 00:59:09,910 As the flow of gas towards the sun diminishes, 774 00:59:09,910 --> 00:59:13,840 the force pushing the planets inward is reduced. 775 00:59:13,840 --> 00:59:16,300 The two planets influence each other, 776 00:59:16,300 --> 00:59:18,270 and move in resonance, 777 00:59:18,270 --> 00:59:21,803 migrating back into the outer region of the solar system. 778 00:59:22,790 --> 00:59:25,720 Floating in that outer region are asteroids 779 00:59:25,720 --> 00:59:29,420 that contain large amounts of ice and carbon. 780 00:59:29,420 --> 00:59:32,213 Ryugu is this type of asteroid. 781 00:59:33,130 --> 00:59:37,810 Within these asteroids there are areas like hot springs, 782 00:59:37,810 --> 00:59:40,453 that retain the heat from when the asteroid formed. 783 00:59:41,480 --> 00:59:44,617 This is where those building blocks of life on Earth, 784 00:59:44,617 --> 00:59:47,533 the long chains of carbon, are created. 785 00:59:50,280 --> 00:59:52,940 Jupiter and Saturn pass through the region 786 00:59:52,940 --> 00:59:55,913 that contains a multitude of these asteroids. 787 00:59:57,020 --> 00:59:59,280 These asteroids are stirred up, 788 00:59:59,280 --> 01:00:01,560 and like the seeds of a dandelion, 789 01:00:01,560 --> 01:00:04,000 scatter in all directions, 790 01:00:04,000 --> 01:00:06,353 carrying the building blocks of life. 791 01:00:09,460 --> 01:00:12,960 Some of those asteroids roam through the solar system, 792 01:00:12,960 --> 01:00:14,873 eventually land on Earth. 793 01:00:20,520 --> 01:00:23,950 Large numbers of asteroids, like Ryugu, 794 01:00:23,950 --> 01:00:25,003 fall onto Earth. 795 01:00:31,350 --> 01:00:34,920 In this fashion, a tremendous cache of the ingredients 796 01:00:34,920 --> 01:00:37,603 that make life, was brought to Earth. 797 01:00:41,310 --> 01:00:44,490 This was the grand migration of the planets, 798 01:00:44,490 --> 01:00:47,753 that made possible life on Earth. 799 01:00:49,330 --> 01:00:51,370 One important effect of the grand tack, 800 01:00:51,370 --> 01:00:53,250 is to send C type asteroids, 801 01:00:53,250 --> 01:00:56,010 from way in the outer part of the solar system, 802 01:00:56,010 --> 01:00:59,153 into the asteroid belt, and eventually onto the Earth. 803 01:01:00,270 --> 01:01:01,630 Otherwise, the Earth would have been built 804 01:01:01,630 --> 01:01:04,613 from mostly dry, organic, poor material. 805 01:01:07,356 --> 01:01:08,189 That is something we're doing, 806 01:01:08,189 --> 01:01:09,560 that is something that I visit too, 807 01:01:09,560 --> 01:01:12,040 by going to a C type asteroid 808 01:01:12,040 --> 01:01:14,160 and bringing back a sample, 809 01:01:14,160 --> 01:01:16,433 might help to answer some of those questions. 810 01:01:20,050 --> 01:01:22,870 20 days after the blast on Ryugu, 811 01:01:22,870 --> 01:01:25,800 the danger of flying fragments has passed, 812 01:01:25,800 --> 01:01:29,423 and Hayabusa2 turns to recording images of the crater. 813 01:01:30,410 --> 01:01:33,600 Results are monitored in the operations room. 814 01:01:33,600 --> 01:01:37,683 The images from Hayabusa2 will be delivered here, first. 815 01:01:39,640 --> 01:01:41,803 Saiki can't wait to see them. 816 01:01:51,810 --> 01:01:54,460 They get their first look at the crater. 817 01:01:56,760 --> 01:02:00,690 Compared to the image of the ground before the explosion, 818 01:02:00,690 --> 01:02:03,090 the surface has been blasted away, 819 01:02:03,090 --> 01:02:06,633 leaving a large hole, with a diameter of 10 meters. 820 01:02:35,020 --> 01:02:36,500 At the bottom of the hole, 821 01:02:36,500 --> 01:02:40,553 the long sought after subsurface material lay exposed. 822 01:02:42,610 --> 01:02:44,750 The surest way of getting a sample, 823 01:02:44,750 --> 01:02:47,713 would be landing Hayabusa2 in the crater. 824 01:02:50,260 --> 01:02:52,940 But they encounter a formidable problem, 825 01:02:52,940 --> 01:02:56,103 that renders that plan unworkable. 826 01:03:02,560 --> 01:03:04,810 There are two large rocks in the crater, 827 01:03:04,810 --> 01:03:07,373 that would block Hayabusa2's descent. 828 01:03:17,050 --> 01:03:21,230 In addition, because the sides of the crater are steep, 829 01:03:21,230 --> 01:03:24,573 it proves impossible to land the probe in the hole. 830 01:03:25,550 --> 01:03:27,580 Is there a way to get the samples 831 01:03:27,580 --> 01:03:30,040 without landing in the crater? 832 01:03:30,040 --> 01:03:32,830 The project team conducts numerous experiments 833 01:03:32,830 --> 01:03:36,573 under conditions mimicking those in outer space. 834 01:03:40,230 --> 01:03:43,780 This test fires a projectile into material, 835 01:03:43,780 --> 01:03:46,283 that represents the surface of Ryugu. 836 01:03:49,990 --> 01:03:52,320 The marble is a large boulder, 837 01:03:52,320 --> 01:03:55,050 black sand represents the surface, 838 01:03:55,050 --> 01:03:58,493 and white sand is the material below the surface. 839 01:04:09,860 --> 01:04:11,940 The projectile hits, 840 01:04:11,940 --> 01:04:15,040 the marbles, representing rocks, are blown away, 841 01:04:15,040 --> 01:04:17,623 along with the white subsurface sand. 842 01:04:19,070 --> 01:04:21,000 The subsurface material falls 843 01:04:21,000 --> 01:04:22,973 a great distance from the crater. 844 01:04:26,050 --> 01:04:28,380 Hayabusa2 could still gather samples 845 01:04:28,380 --> 01:04:32,643 by landing near the crater, instead of inside it. 846 01:04:39,000 --> 01:04:40,997 Where is the best spot near the crater, 847 01:04:40,997 --> 01:04:43,263 for Hayabusa2 to land? 848 01:04:44,180 --> 01:04:46,093 The team ponders the issue. 849 01:04:51,800 --> 01:04:54,760 After thorough analysis of the topography, 850 01:04:54,760 --> 01:04:57,253 two possible landing areas emerge. 851 01:04:59,150 --> 01:05:01,400 A relatively flat and safer area 852 01:05:01,400 --> 01:05:03,960 on the south side of the crater, 853 01:05:03,960 --> 01:05:07,433 and a rocky, and more dangerous area, on the north. 854 01:05:09,990 --> 01:05:12,660 The north area is closer to the crater, 855 01:05:12,660 --> 01:05:16,083 and so would likely have more of the subsurface material. 856 01:05:17,320 --> 01:05:19,980 But most of the scientists argued against landing 857 01:05:19,980 --> 01:05:22,600 in the more perilous northern area. 858 01:05:22,600 --> 01:05:26,503 It ran the risk of losing the space probe entirely. 859 01:05:38,420 --> 01:05:40,933 It was then that Saiki spoke up. 860 01:05:59,750 --> 01:06:01,330 He contended that it was worth 861 01:06:01,330 --> 01:06:03,530 taking the greater risk. 862 01:06:03,530 --> 01:06:06,550 The prize could be source of life on Earth, 863 01:06:06,550 --> 01:06:08,060 and landing on the north 864 01:06:08,060 --> 01:06:11,900 put them closer to more subsurface material. 865 01:06:11,900 --> 01:06:14,820 However, the meeting concluded that the craft 866 01:06:14,820 --> 01:06:17,630 should proceed with preparations for landing 867 01:06:17,630 --> 01:06:19,583 on the crater's south side. 868 01:06:27,420 --> 01:06:30,643 May 16th, 2019, 869 01:06:30,643 --> 01:06:32,390 Hayabusa2 is to descend 870 01:06:32,390 --> 01:06:34,530 on the south side of the crater, 871 01:06:34,530 --> 01:06:38,710 and approach to just 10 meters above the surface. 872 01:06:38,710 --> 01:06:40,810 The plan calls for the probe to release 873 01:06:40,810 --> 01:06:43,653 a target marker as a guide for the landing. 874 01:06:44,775 --> 01:06:47,163 Hayabusa2 steadily descends. 875 01:06:53,720 --> 01:06:57,303 When it reaches a height of 50 meters above the asteroid. 876 01:07:03,150 --> 01:07:05,940 Hayabusa2 aborts its descent, 877 01:07:05,940 --> 01:07:09,103 and begins an emergency climb away from Ryugu. 878 01:07:17,330 --> 01:07:18,920 Dropping the target marker 879 01:07:18,920 --> 01:07:21,480 was now out of the question. 880 01:07:21,480 --> 01:07:25,360 However, the camera team, preparing for the worst, 881 01:07:25,360 --> 01:07:27,073 had made a contingency plan. 882 01:07:46,800 --> 01:07:49,393 The result was an unexpected gift. 883 01:07:50,240 --> 01:07:53,000 This is the photograph that was taken. 884 01:07:53,000 --> 01:07:55,290 It provided the first detailed picture 885 01:07:55,290 --> 01:07:57,193 of the area north of the crater. 886 01:07:58,250 --> 01:08:00,280 After analyzing the image, 887 01:08:00,280 --> 01:08:02,710 it was found that there was a flat area, 888 01:08:02,710 --> 01:08:06,233 albeit narrow, where a landing was possible. 889 01:08:12,300 --> 01:08:15,750 Around that time, further analysis detailed 890 01:08:15,750 --> 01:08:18,853 how the subsurface material had disbursed. 891 01:08:19,990 --> 01:08:22,020 Rihonda's attention was drawn 892 01:08:22,020 --> 01:08:24,140 to how the color of the material 893 01:08:24,140 --> 01:08:27,023 was different from the surface of the asteroid. 894 01:08:31,010 --> 01:08:34,660 Comparing images from before and after the blast, 895 01:08:34,660 --> 01:08:37,110 the slight difference in their color was evident. 896 01:08:40,480 --> 01:08:44,070 Based on the direction of sunlight falling on the surface, 897 01:08:44,070 --> 01:08:46,983 corrections were made to bring out the true color. 898 01:08:48,220 --> 01:08:51,573 This was the result of the painstaking analysis. 899 01:08:52,510 --> 01:08:56,470 The subsurface material appears black in the image. 900 01:08:56,470 --> 01:08:59,500 It did not spread in an even circle, 901 01:08:59,500 --> 01:09:02,903 but rather was concentrated on the north side. 902 01:09:21,430 --> 01:09:23,830 A thick layer of subsurface material 903 01:09:23,830 --> 01:09:26,260 had settled on the north side, 904 01:09:26,260 --> 01:09:29,390 with these results as the deciding factor, 905 01:09:29,390 --> 01:09:33,270 a landing on the north side, as Saiki had advocated, 906 01:09:33,270 --> 01:09:34,243 was agreed on. 907 01:09:39,760 --> 01:09:43,020 July 11th, 2019. 908 01:09:43,020 --> 01:09:45,283 The day of the landing has arrived. 909 01:09:53,040 --> 01:09:55,050 This is a graphic visualization 910 01:09:55,050 --> 01:09:59,153 of the actual flight data Hayabusa2 sent to JAXA. 911 01:10:03,950 --> 01:10:06,310 The probe descends toward the landing area 912 01:10:06,310 --> 01:10:07,773 north of the crater. 913 01:10:11,160 --> 01:10:13,680 At an altitude of 500 meters, 914 01:10:13,680 --> 01:10:16,490 it reaches the final checkpoint. 915 01:10:16,490 --> 01:10:20,563 A decision must be made to continue the landing or abort. 916 01:10:33,730 --> 01:10:37,500 Only after all 13 teams have signed off, 917 01:10:37,500 --> 01:10:40,063 will the landing be given the go sign. 918 01:10:53,243 --> 01:10:54,820 The command to carry out the landing 919 01:10:54,820 --> 01:10:57,390 is sent to Hayabusa2. 920 01:10:57,390 --> 01:10:59,883 There is no turning back now. 921 01:11:03,470 --> 01:11:07,693 At 9:40 the probe is 30 minutes from its target zone. 922 01:11:08,800 --> 01:11:10,760 It is heading toward a landing zone 923 01:11:10,760 --> 01:11:12,830 on the north side of the crater, 924 01:11:12,830 --> 01:11:15,570 that is only seven meters across. 925 01:11:15,570 --> 01:11:17,220 A tight fit. 926 01:11:17,220 --> 01:11:18,680 The probe itself? 927 01:11:18,680 --> 01:11:20,383 Six meters across. 928 01:11:26,791 --> 01:11:29,291 (tense music) 929 01:11:31,790 --> 01:11:33,910 Avoiding the dangerous boulders, 930 01:11:33,910 --> 01:11:35,803 it descends carefully. 931 01:11:41,270 --> 01:11:45,163 At this point, the Hayabusa craft tilts to one side. 932 01:11:46,130 --> 01:11:48,780 In order to avoid the boulder on the left, 933 01:11:48,780 --> 01:11:51,053 the craft changed its approach angle. 934 01:11:55,120 --> 01:11:56,970 This was the final maneuver 935 01:11:56,970 --> 01:11:58,883 for making a successful landing. 936 01:12:07,000 --> 01:12:09,763 Finally, it prepares to touch down. 937 01:12:13,340 --> 01:12:17,623 10:06 and 18 seconds, touchdown. 938 01:12:18,800 --> 01:12:21,600 At that instant, it fires a bullet, 939 01:12:21,600 --> 01:12:25,453 and collects the fragments of rock that swirl upwards. 940 01:12:35,301 --> 01:12:38,801 (cheering and applauding) 941 01:12:41,055 --> 01:12:44,722 (dramatic orchestral music) 942 01:12:47,727 --> 01:12:50,420 Hayabusa2 had retrieved the key 943 01:12:50,420 --> 01:12:53,880 to understanding the roots of life on Earth, 944 01:12:53,880 --> 01:12:57,293 a goal pursued by scientists all over the world. 945 01:13:10,320 --> 01:13:13,523 This is the actual footage of the landing. 946 01:13:16,400 --> 01:13:19,720 The sampler horn touches down without fail, 947 01:13:19,720 --> 01:13:21,943 and captures the precious cargo, 948 01:13:22,870 --> 01:13:25,560 the asteroid's subsurface material, 949 01:13:25,560 --> 01:13:30,490 that may unlock the mystery of the origins of life. 950 01:13:30,490 --> 01:13:33,083 It's a historic achievement. 951 01:13:40,100 --> 01:13:44,350 Now Hayabusa2 is heading toward its home planet, 952 01:13:44,350 --> 01:13:47,233 bearing a load of fragments from the asteroid. 953 01:13:50,870 --> 01:13:53,693 It will reach Earth in late 2020. 954 01:13:59,910 --> 01:14:03,340 A capsule containing the materials from Ryugu, 955 01:14:03,340 --> 01:14:05,400 will be detached in space, 956 01:14:05,400 --> 01:14:08,630 and head toward its final challenge, 957 01:14:08,630 --> 01:14:10,843 entry into Earth's atmosphere. 958 01:14:16,570 --> 01:14:20,013 What surprising new knowledge will that capsule carry? 959 01:14:22,281 --> 01:14:24,420 (dramatic orchestral music) 960 01:14:24,420 --> 01:14:26,030 When it's open, 961 01:14:26,030 --> 01:14:28,990 it may well shed new light on the deep bonds 962 01:14:29,910 --> 01:14:32,313 that link our lives to the universe. 963 01:14:33,815 --> 01:14:37,482 (dramatic orchestral music)