The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced that the particle analysis it was conducting on the dust collected from the sample container returned to Earth by the Hayabusa space capsule last June has yielded encouraging results: “most of the particles from sample catcher compartment “A” are judged to be definitely from Asteroid Itokawa,” they stated in a press release. The 1,500-some particles identified by JAXA as extra-terrestrial in origin do not correspond to any rock type found on Earth, and are in fact consistent with predictions of Itokawa surface material that was sensed by instruments aboard Hayabusa.

JAXA reports that they are developing the technology, equipment, and skills required for the next round of analyses of the particles found in the sample container.