TL;DR: Ryugu samples confirmed amino acids, nucleobases, and hydrated minerals. The discovery of more than 20 amino acids in Ryugu samples supports the hypothesis that asteroids delivered prebiotic chemistry
Ryugu samples confirmed amino acids, nucleobases, and hydrated minerals. The discovery of more than 20 amino acids in Ryugu samples supports the hypothesis that asteroids delivered prebiotic chemistry to early Earth.
Type
Cb-type (carbonaceous)
Composition
Carbonaceous; hydrated phyllosilicates; amino acids; nucleobases; 7% water in minerals
Orbit
0.96-1.42 AU (near-Earth), period 1.3 years
Mining Potential
High - water and organics; JAXA sample return completed; well-characterized
Mission
JAXA Hayabusa2 (sample returned Dec 2020)