Robotic explorer to orbit Ryugu asteroid in final mission for Japan's Hayabusa2

Japan's Hayabusa2 on Thursday released a robotic explorer bound for the surface of an asteroid in the probe's final task before returning to earth, the nation's space agency said. The Minerva-II2, a small rover attached to Hayabusa2, began its descent toward the surface of the Ryugu asteroid at around 1 a.m. Its primary task will be to research the asteroid's gravity. Previous plans for surface observations were scrapped due to glitches, according to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Observing the explorer's descent to the surface will be the last mission for the probe before it leaves the asteroid in November or December, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said.