Itokawa is a small asteroid located in the Asteroid Belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered in 1998 and is classified as a S-type asteroid, which means it is composed mainly of silicate minerals and metallic iron. Itokawa is approximately 0.33 kilometers in length and has an irregular shape, resembling a peanut. In 2005, the Hayabusa spacecraft, launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), successfully landed on Itokawa and collected samples from its surface. These samples were returned to Earth in 2010, providing valuable insights into the composition and history of asteroids, as well as the early solar system.