This Sept. 23, 2018 image captured by Rover-1B, and provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) shows the surface of asteroid Ryugu. New photos taken on the surface of an asteroid show that... (Associated Press) 
 
 This Sept. 23, 2018 image captured by Rover-1B, and provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) shows the surface of asteroid Ryugu. New photos taken on the surface of an asteroid show that it is (drumroll, please) ... rocky. It may be no surprise, but Japan space agency scientists and... (Associated Press) 
 
 TOKYO (AP) — New photos taken on the surface of an asteroid show that it is (drum roll, please) ... rocky. 
 
 It may be no surprise, but Japan space agency scientists and engineers are thrilled by the images being sent to Earth by two jumping robotic rovers that they dropped onto an asteroid about 280 million kilometers (170 million miles) away. 
 
 The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency posted the latest photos on its website late Thursday. They show slightly tilted close-ups of the rocky surface from different locations. 
 
 "I cannot find words to express how happy I am that we were able to realize mobile exploration on the surface of an asteroid," project manager Yuichi Tsuda said on the space agency's website. 
 
 It took more than three years for the unmanned Hayabusa2 spacecraft to reach the vicinity of asteroid Ryugu. One week ago, the craft successfully dropped a small capsule with two rovers onto its surface. The rovers, each about the size of circular cookie tin, don't have wheels but jump around the asteroid. 
 
 Hayabusa2 is scheduled to drop a German-French lander with four observation devices onto the asteroid next week. It later will attempt to land on the asteroid itself to collect samples to send back to researchers on Earth. ||||| Image copyright Jaxa 
 
 Japan's space agency (Jaxa) has released new images from the robot rovers it has deployed to the surface of an asteroid. 
 
 The photos reveal new details of the surface of the space rock, which is known as Ryugu. 
 
 On 21 September, the rovers were released on to the surface by the "mothership", Hayabusa 2. 
 
 Hayabusa 2 reached Ryugu in June after a three-and-a-half-year journey. 
 
 The pictures show in clear relief the rugged, boulder-strewn landscape of this striking Solar System body. 
 
 The robots, known as Rover 1A and Rover 1B, are now both confirmed to be working on the surface of the space rock. 
 
 The 1kg autonomous rovers move about by hopping, using the asteroid's low gravity. Each one contains a motor-powered internal mass that rotates to generate force, propelling the robot across the surface. 
 
 Japan's rovers send pictures from asteroid 
 
 Image copyright Jaxa 
 
 Image copyright Jaxa 
 
 Rover 1B also sent back the first video footage from the surface of an asteroid. 
 
 On Friday, Hayabusa 2 descended to about 60m in order to release the rovers, which had been stored in a container on the base of the spacecraft. 
 
 One of the principal concerns for deployment was Ryugu's rougher-than-expected surface, which is carpeted with boulders and has very few smooth patches. 
 
 The 1kg rovers are equipped with wide-angle and stereo cameras to send back pictures. Spine-like projections from the edges of the hoppers are sensors that will measure surface temperatures on the asteroid. 
 
 The 900m-wide space rock known formally as 162173 Ryugu belongs to a particularly primitive type of asteroid. 
 
 It is thought to be a relic left over from the early days of our Solar System, so studying it could shed light on the origin and evolution of our own planet. 
 
 Follow Paul on Twitter. 
 
 Image copyright Twitter/HAYABUSA2@JAXA Image caption This photo was released by Jaxa on Saturday, after the rovers had touched down
– New photos taken on the surface of an asteroid show that it is (drum roll, please) ... rocky. It may be no surprise, but Japanese space agency scientists and engineers are thrilled by the images being sent to Earth by two jumping robotic rovers that they dropped onto an asteroid about 170 million miles away. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency posted the latest photos on its website late Thursday. They show slightly tilted close-ups of the rocky surface from different locations. "I cannot find words to express how happy I am that we were able to realize mobile exploration on the surface of an asteroid," project manager Yuichi Tsuda said on the space agency's website. It took more than three years for the unmanned Hayabusa2 spacecraft to reach the vicinity of asteroid Ryugu, the AP reports. Last week, the craft successfully dropped a small capsule with two rovers onto its surface. The rovers, each about the size of circular cookie tin, don't have wheels but jump around the asteroid. Hayabusa2 is scheduled to drop a German-French lander with four observation devices onto the asteroid next week. It later will attempt to land on the asteroid itself to collect samples to send back to researchers on Earth. The asteroid is believed to be a leftover from the early days of our solar system and studying it could provide insight into how our planet formed, the BBC reports.