When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.Asteroid Torifune as seen by the Hayabusa2 probe’s Optical navigation camera (telephoto) (ONC-T) on July 5, 2026. | Credit: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)A Japanese spacecraft has gotten up close and personal with yet another asteroid, beaming home stunning new imagery of the distant space rock.On Sunday (July 5), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)’s Hayabusa2 probe performed a close flyby of asteroid Torifune, a 1,475-foot (450-meter) space rock currently traveling through space some 62 million miles (100 million kilometers) from Earth. It was expected to be one of the closest-ever high-speed passes a spacecraft has had with an asteroid.AdvertisementAdvertisementDuring the flyby, Hayabusa2 captured this breathtaking new image of Torifune using its optical camera, and was able to transmit it back to JAXA controllers. The probe captured additional scientific data about the asteroid, but will beam those results home at a later date, according to JAXA.Hayabusa2 also imaged asteroid Torifune using its Mid-Infrared Camera (TIR), which allows scientists to measure asteroids’ surface temperatures, thermal inertia and surface roughness, according to JAXA. This mid-infrared image reveals Torifune to be much cooler in what appear to be shadowed regions seen in the optical image, and much warmer where the surface faces the sun.Asteroid Torifune as seen by the Hayabusa2 probe’s Mid-Infrared Camera (TIR) on July 5, 2026. | Credit: JAXATorifune orbits the sun every 383 days and rotates every 5 hours. It belongs to the Apollo group, a classification of near-Earth asteroids whose orbits cross Earth’s as they make their way around the sun.Hayabusa2’s flyby of Torifune was not part of its original mission, and one of the members of the probe’s scientific team previously told Space.com the flyby was a “risky operation” due to the unknowns surrounding the asteroid.AdvertisementAdvertisementThese new images add to the growing list of incredible accomplishments the Hayabusa2 probe has notched on its now nearly 12-year mission.Asteroid Ryugu, also seen by JAXA’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft. | Credit: JAXA, University of Tokyo, Kochi University, Rikkyo University, Nagoya University, Chiba Institute of Technology, Meiji …
