Japan space agency finds ample soil and gas from asteroid

Japan’s space agency said it has confirmed the presence of black soil samples inside a capsule that the spacecraft Hayabusa2 brought back from a distant asteroid last week (JAXA via AP)

Officials from Japan’s space agency said they have found more than the anticipated amount of soil and gases inside a small capsule the country’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft brought back from a distant asteroid this month.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) said its staff initially spotted some black particles sitting on the bottom of the capsule’s sample-catcher when they pulled out the container on Monday.