Watch the fascinating moment Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa 2 BOUNCES off Ryugu 

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Footage of the moment a Japanese space probe briefly touched down on the surface of an asteroid has been released by Japan's space agency, JAXA. 

The incredible video shows the 59 seconds before Hyabusa 2 bounced off the surface of Ryugu and is played at five times real speed.

'One small hand of mankind has reached for a new little star', JAXA said in a tweet regarding the video. 

Hyabusa 2 was travelling at a rate of 7 cm/s relative to the asteroid and fired a small probe at its surface to kick up debris. 

This can be seen darting upwards away from the 3,300 foot (1 kilometre) wide asteroid that was hopefully captured by the spacecraft's 'sampler horn'.

The camera on-board which captured the footage was funded by public donations.  

Hyabusa 2 will embark on at least one more controlled descent to Ryugu's surface before embarking back to Earth at the end of the year. 

If all went according to plan, the disturbed matter was collected by the craft and will be brought back to Earth for inspection, although it won't land until 2020 when it's dropped over Australia. 

It is hoped the craft will bring with it intact and protected samples of Ryugu's surface which may shed light on the early formation of the universe. 

The asteroid itself is believed to be a remnant of the early solar system's birth and understanding its geology could provide vital clues to piece together its, and Earth's history.  

The historic interaction occurred at 11pm GMT (6pm EST) on February 21 after a three-and-a-half year journey across the solar system.  

Professor Alan Fitzsimmons, from Queen's University in Belfast, told MailOnline that the samples it collects could shed light on the early solar system and help to explain where Earth got its water.