How 2019’s space missions explored distant worlds

Planets, asteroids and Arrokoth were the focus of new discoveries

Hayabusa2 spacecraft shadow

Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft, whose shadow is visible in this image, took this photo of the asteroid Ryugu in February after briefly touching down on the asteroid’s surface to collect a sample. The spacecraft is now heading back to Earth.

JAXA, Univ. of Tokyo, Kochi Univ., Rikkyo Univ., Nagoya Univ., Chiba Inst. Of Technology, Meiji Univ., Univ. of Aizu, AIST

From asteroids to exoplanets, spacecraft are leaving no space rock unturned.