Space Agencies Worldwide Mark a Rare Wave of Asteroid Encounters

Space agencies around the world have reported a rare cluster of asteroid encounters in recent days. China’s Tianwen-2 mission arrived at the near-Earth asteroid Kamo’oalewa, delivering its first close-up images, while Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft separately captured images of the asteroid Torifune during a flyby.

Scientists say the back-to-back encounters offer a valuable opportunity to study multiple small solar system bodies within a short window, potentially yielding fresh insights into asteroid composition and the early history of the solar system.