A Japanese probe reached Venus today and prepared to enter orbit on a two-year mission that will mark a major milestone for the country's space programme and could shed light on the climate of Earth's mysterious neighbour.

A TEAM of scientists flew to the Australian Outback yesterday to recover a Japanese space capsule they hope contains asteroid samples with clues to the evolution of the solar system.

JAPANESE spacecraft on an unprecedented mission to bring asteroid material back to Earth is starting for home despite showing signs of trouble earlier, an executive of Japan’s space agency, JAXA, said yesterday.

A Japanese space probe is heading back toward an asteroid for a second landing attempt after failing to touch down over the weekend, space agency officials said today.

A research probe failed to touch down on an asteroid today after manoeuvring within yards to collect surface samples, Japan’s space agency said.