Robot explorer released toward asteroid in Hayabusa2's last mission english.kyodonews.net

KYODO NEWS - 26 minutes ago - 13:22 | All, JapanJapanese space probe Hayabusa2 released Thursday a robotic explorer, bound for the surface of an asteroid -- the last task for the probe before its return to Earth, Japan's space agency said.
The Minerva-II2, a small rover attached to the Hayabusa2, began its descent toward the surface of the Ryugu asteroid at around 1 a.m. Japan time.
The rover is the last of three explorers that make up the Minerva-II robot vehicles installed on Hayabusa2.
The first two rovers successfully landed on the asteroid in September last year and took images of its rocky surface.
Launched in December 2014 from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, Hayabusa2 reached Ryugu in June last year.