China launches Tianwen-2 mission to get 100 gms of asteroid soil
China successfully launched its Tianwen-2 mission early Thursday, embarking on an ambitious plan to collect pristine samples from a near-Earth asteroid and return them to Earth—a move that could make China only the third nation to achieve such a feat, after Japan and the United States.The robotic Tianwen-2 spacecraft lifted off aboard a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province.advertisementWithin 18 minutes, the spacecraft was placed into a transfer orbit toward its target, asteroid 469219 Kamooalewa (also known as 2016 HO3), which orbits the Sun in a unique path that keeps it relatively close to Earth.
Tianwen-2 is scheduled to reach Kamooalewa in July 2026. The spacecraft will attempt to collect rocky samples from the asteroid's surface using both 'touch-and-go' and 'anchor-and-attach' methods, a technological first for asteroid exploration.Liftoff at 17:31UTC May 28, Long March 3B Y110 launched Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return and comet investigation mission from Xichang. The probe was successfully put in the transfer orbit to 2016HO3 ~18 mins after launch. https://t.co/qLkgZafcz8 pic.twitter.com/HZBvsRePxy— China 'N Asia Spaceflight (@CNSpaceflight) May 28, 2025After gathering at least 100 grams of material, Tianwen-2 will send a capsule packed with the samples back to Earth, aiming for a landing in November 2027.advertisementKamooalewa, discovered in 2016 by astronomers in Hawaii, is believed by some scientists to be a fragment of the Moon, making the mission scientifically significant for understanding the early history of the Earth-Moon system.The study of such objects could also improve planetary defense strategies by revealing more about the composition and structure of near-Earth asteroids.Following the sample return, Tianwen-2 will continue its journey, using Earth's gravity to slingshot toward comet 311P/PANSTARRS, where it will conduct extensive observations and further expand China's planetary science capabilities.China's rapid advances in space exploration—ranging from lunar landings to Mars rovers—underscore its growing ambitions. 'All Chinese planetary scientists are now keeping their fingers crossed for this historic mission,' said Yuqi Qian, a lunar geologist at the University of Hong Kong.If successful, Tianwen-2 will not only bring back new clues about the solar system's origins but also cement China's status as a major player in deep space exploration
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