• It is being said that the asteroid contains relatively huge amounts of organic matter and water from about 4.6 billion years ago
• The asteroid is around 3,000 feet in diameter and has been named after an undersea palace in a Japanese folktale

Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa 2 has successfully landed on an asteroid 170 million miles from the Earth as it attempts to collect samples and bring them back for researchers to study.

As per the officials of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), data from the spacecraft showed changes in direction and speed, suggesting it had landed on the asteroid, named Ryugu, and was blasting back to its orbiting position.

Reportedly, a live webcast of the control center showed numerous JAXA staff members nervously monitoring data ahead of the landing as they burst into applause after receiving a signal from the spacecraft that it had successfully landed.

Spokeswoman of JAXA, Chisato Ikuta was reportedly quoted saying that the agency confirmed the touchdown of the probe and the control center had received data showing that the spacecraft was working normally and is in good shape. Moreover, scientists were continuing to gather and analyze data received from the probe, Ikuta further added.

For the record, the asteroid is around 3,000 feet in diameter and has been named after an undersea palace in a Japanese folktale. It is being said that the asteroid contains relatively huge amounts of organic matter and water from about 4.6 billion years ago – the time when the solar system came into existence.

According to a report published by The Guardian, the probe aims to gather 10g of the dislodged debris with an equipment named the Sampler Horn which hangs from its underbelly. Hayabusa 2 was would fire a bullet toward the asteroid, in an attempt to stir up surface matter, which it would then carry back on Earth for analysis.