Loeb Suggests Hayabusa2’s Target Might Be a Soviet Relic, Not an Asteroid
Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb and colleagues speculate that 1998 KY26—the rapidly spinning object Hayabusa2 is set to study in 2031—could be a long‑lost Soviet spacecraft (Phobos 1) rather than a natural asteroid. The idea, based on suggested orbital similarities and size, is highly speculative and not yet peer‑reviewed; it aims to broaden the observational data considered when judging solar‑system objects, with Hayabusa2’s observations expected to help resolve the object's true origin.
