Hayabusa2 found to have approached Torifune as close as 400 m, setting a world record in flyby exploration

JAXA said Hayabusa2 analyzed data from its July 5 flyby of the asteroid Torifune, finding the closest approach was about 400 meters from the surface and about 744 meters from the center.

The spacecraft missed the target point by only 120 meters, and it achieved the world’s first successful distance measurement with LiDAR during an asteroid flyby.

The result demonstrates highly precise navigation toward small bodies and supports future work on asteroid characterization and planetary defense.