Australia to play key role in space science first

This weekend, Australia will play a key role in a mission to return the first ever samples from inside an asteroid.

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft above the asteroid Ryugu Source: AAP

A Japanese capsule carrying the space rocks will streak across the Australian morning sky and land in the outback. 

It's hoped the rocks may strengthen our understanding of how the solar system formed and how life emerged.

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