China launches Tianwen-2 space probe to collect samples from asteroid near Mars
The Tianwen-2 probe launched Thursday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province aboard the workhorse Long March 3-B rocket, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
The target of the Tianwen-2 will be different from its predecessor, the Tianwen-1, which launched a year ago and landed on Mars.
Tianwen-2 will be aiming for the asteroid 2016 HO3, which is also known as 469219 Kamoʻoalewa, to bring back samples.
China's Secret Weapon In The Space Race Is Already Hurting Us
The proposed 10-year plan would involve more than just this space mission as China continues to look to expand into space.
Read On The Fox News App
Zhang Rongqiao, chief designer of the Tianwen-1, told China Central Television he plans to implement the "Tianwen-3" Mars sampling return mission in 2028, while the "Tianwen-4" will head toward Jupiter.
According to The Associated Press, the asteroids, chosen for their relatively stable orbits, will hopefully offer clues about the formation of Earth, such as the origins of water.
Us Prepares To Deorbit International Space Station Amid China Competition
Samples from 2016HO3 are due to be returned in about two years.
Even if the CNSA is going to distribute these samples to international partners like they have on previous missions, NASA wouldn't be able to receive any samples.
A law passed in 2011, known as the Wolf Amendment, restricts NASA from having any cooperation with the CNSA.
China also operates the three-person Tiangong, or "Heavenly Palace," space station.
This gives China a step in the right direction to become a major force in the exploration of space.
Its permanent station was created after being excluded from the International Space Station over U.S. national security concerns.
The Associated Press contributed to this storyOriginal article source: China launches Tianwen-2 space probe to collect samples from asteroid near Mars
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
SpaceX late-night rocket launch in Florida: What time is liftoff from Cape Canaveral?
Who's up for late-night sky watching? A SpaceX rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, may potentially lift off overnight. The company's Falcon 9 rocket will potentially carry Starlink internet-beaming satellites into low-Earth orbit. And people far outside that area can sometimes see this phenomenon. Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a rocket launch from Florida's Space Coast could be visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach and as far south as Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach (see videos and photo gallery with this story). When there's a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there's an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo. Below is more information on rocket launches in Florida and suggestions on where to watch them from here. Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@ or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@ For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit When is next rocket launch in Florida? Monday, August 4: SpaceX Starlink 10-30 Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch the next batch of Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. Launch window: 12:11 a.m. to 4:53 a.m. ET Monday, Aug. 4, 2025 Trajectory: Northeast Launch location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Live coverage starts 90 minutes before liftoff at : You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Network's Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, at starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type into your browser. Live weather radar: Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch? Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache. Where to watch SpaceX rocket launch from Space Coast of Florida Pretty much anywhere in Brevard, you'll get a view of the rocket launch − in certain areas, you can get an amazing view of SpaceX rocket boosters returning to the pads. The best view to watch a rocket launch from the Space Coast is along the beach. However, visibility will depend on weather conditions and people should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches. If you are viewing the launch along the Indian River in Titusville from Space View Park or Parrish Park, look east directly across the river. If you are farther south along the Indian River, look northeast. Playalinda Beach or Canaveral National Seashore is the closest spot to view liftoff because it is almost parallel to Launch Pad 39A. On the beach, look south along the coastline, (you can even see the pad from some spots). Some hotspots to check out: Jetty Park Beach and Pier, 400 Jetty Park Road, Port Canaveral. Note, there's a charge to park. Playalinda Beach, 1000 Playalinda Beach Road, Canaveral National Seashore. Note, there's a charge to park, and access to Canaveral National Seashore isn't always granted depending on capacity and time of day. Max Brewer Bridge and Parrish Park, 1 A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway, Titusville. Note, parking is available on both sides of Max Brewer Bridge. Space View Park, 8 Broad St., Titusville Sand Point Park, 10 E. Max Brewer Causeway, Titusville Rotary Riverfront Park, 4141 S. Washington Ave., Titusville Riverfront Park at Cocoa Village, 401 Riveredge Blvd., Cocoa (just before State Road 520 Causeway) Cocoa Village, near the parks and shops or near the docks Various parks on Merritt Island Rotary Park, 1899 S. Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island Kiwanis Park on Kiwanis Island Park Road on Merritt Island Port Canaveral, with ships from Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean at port Alan Shepard Park, 299 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs. Cocoa Beach Pier, 401 Meade Ave. Parking fee varies. Lori Wilson Park, 1400 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Lori Wilson Park has a dog park, by the way. Sidney Fischer Park, 2200 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach. Note, there could be parking costs. Downtown Cocoa Beach, along Minutemen Causeway Tables Beach, 197 SR A1A, Satellite Beach The Tides on SR A1A in Satellite Beach Various parks, including the Pelican Beach Clubhouse, in Satellite Beach Pineda Causeway Eau Gallie Causeway Front Street Park near Melbourne (U.S. 192) Causeway and U.S. 1 in Melbourne Indialantic boardwalk at Melbourne Causeway and SR A1A Paradise Beach Park, aka Howard Futch Park, 2301 SR A1A, Melbourne (this is a beachside park) Sebastian Inlet Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach (there is a cost to enter) This article originally appeared on Florida Today: SpaceX rocket launch in Florida: What time is Cape Canaveral liftoff? Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Astronomers witness a newborn planet emerging from the dust around a sun-like star: Space photo of the week
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. QUICK FACTS What it is: A potential planet around the star HD 135344B Where it is: 440 light-years away, in the constellation Lupus When it was shared: July 21, 2025 Deep within a swirling disk of gas and dust around the star HD 135344B, a young planet appears to be sculpting intricate spiral arms around its stellar host. It is the first time a planet has been found embedded inside a dust spiral around a star, actively shaping its environment. The discovery is further proof that the building blocks of planets emerge from protoplanetary disks — giant, doughnut-shaped disks of gas and dust that circle young stars, according to NASA. These dense, rotating clouds of material around young stars have been seen to feature rings and spirals suspected to be caused by the presence of baby planets, but this is the first direct evidence. In fact, the sculpted protoplanetary disk around the host star, HD 135344B, had been seen before by astronomers using the SPHERE (Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet Research) instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile. However, by using a new instrument called the Enhanced Resolution Imager and Spectrograph (ERIS), scientists finally discovered a planetary candidate. The planet is nestled at the base of one spiral arm — exactly where models predicted a planet would be needed to generate such a feature — and is thought to be twice the size of Jupiter. It's about as far from its host star as Neptune is from the sun, or about 30 times the distance from Earth to the sun. "What makes this detection potentially a turning point is that, unlike many previous observations, we are able to directly detect the signal of the protoplanet, which is still highly embedded in the disc," Francesco Maio, a doctoral researcher at the University of Florence and lead author of a study describing the discovery, said in a statement. Related: 32 alien planets that really exist The existence of many exoplanets — planets that orbit a star other than the sun — is inferred from other information, such as the dip in a star's brightness that is assumed to be caused by a planet. Observing the planet's own light — reflected light from its host star — gives the proto-planet's discoverers a much higher level of confidence in its existence. MORE SPACE PHOTOS —'Fighting dragons' light up little-known constellation in the Southern sky —James Webb and Hubble telescopes join forces to explore a cosmic nursery —James Webb telescope reveals dizzying galaxies in the Bullet Cluster "We will never witness the formation of Earth, but here, around a young star 440 light-years away, we may be watching a planet come into existence in real time," Maio said. ERIS had a similarly decisive role in another recent discovery. Using ERIS, astronomers found an object — possibly a brown dwarf, an object halfway between a giant planet and a small star — in the protoplanetary disk around the young star V960 Mon, located 5,000 light-years away, in the constellation Monoceros. For more sublime space images, check out our Space Photo of the Week archives. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
SpaceX rocket launch in Florida: What time is liftoff, how to watch in Daytona, New Smyrna Beach
Who's up for late-night sky watching? A SpaceX rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, may potentially lift off overnight. The company's Falcon 9 rocket will potentially carry Starlink internet-beaming satellites into low-Earth orbit. And people far outside that area can sometimes see this phenomenon. Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, a rocket launch from Florida's Space Coast could be visible as far north as Jacksonville Beach and Daytona Beach and as far south as Fort Pierce and West Palm Beach (see videos and photo gallery with this story). When there's a launch window in the middle of the night or very early morning, there's an opportunity for unique photos — the rocket lights up the dark sky and the contrail after makes for a great photo. Below is more information on rocket launches in Florida and suggestions on where to watch them from here. Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA, ULA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral For questions or comments, email FLORIDA TODAY Space Reporter Rick Neale at rneale@ or Space Reporter Brooke Edwards at bedwards@ For more space news from the USA TODAY Network, visit When is next rocket launch in Florida? Monday, August 4: SpaceX Starlink 10-30 Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch the next batch of Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. Launch window: 12:11 a.m. to 4:53 a.m. ET Monday, Aug. 4, 2025 Trajectory: Northeast Launch location: Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Live coverage starts 90 minutes before liftoff at : You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Network's Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, at starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type into your browser. Live weather radar: Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch? Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast, Brevard County, Orlando and other parts of Florida. The current date and time show up on the bottom right of this radar embed; otherwise, you may need to clear your cache. Where to see Florida rocket launch in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach area In Volusia County, immediately north of Brevard County — home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — you can get a great view of a SpaceX, NASA or United Launch Alliance rocket launch. The best views to watch a rocket launch from here are along the beach. Look due south. Recommended spots: • South New Smyrna Beach (Canaveral National Seashore) • Mary McLeod Bethune Beach Park, 6656 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach. Bethune Beach is 3.5 miles south of New Smyrna Beach and one mile north of the Apollo Beach entrance to Canaveral National Seashore Park. • Apollo Beach at Canaveral National Seashore (south of New Smyrna Beach). Canaveral National Seashore runs along Florida's East Coast in Volusia County and Brevard County. To access Apollo Beach, take Interstate 95 to exit 249, then travel east until it turns into State Road A1A. Follow SR A1A south to the park entrance. • Oak Hill riverfront is the southernmost city in South Volusia County. • Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill • Goodrich's Seafood and Oyster House back deck, 253 River Road, Oak Hill • Seminole Rest national historic site, 211 River Road, Oak Hill • Riverbreeze Park, 250 H.H. Burch Road, Oak Hill • Mary Dewees Park, 178 N. Gaines St., Oak Hill • Nancy Cummings Park, 232 Cummings St., Oak Hill • Jimmie Vann Sunrise Park, 275 River Road, Oak Hill • A.C. Delbert Dewees Municipal Pier, 243 River Road, Oak Hill • Bird Observation Pier on River Road across from A.C. Delbert Municipal Pier (see above) • Rose Bay in Port Orange, Florida • beaches along New Smyrna Beach, Florida • New Smyrna Beach Inlet, New Smyrna Beach lifeguard station • Halifax Harbor Marina in Daytona Beach, Florida • Ormond-by-the-Sea in Ormond Beach, Florida • George R. Kennedy Memorial Park in Edgewater, Florida This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: SpaceX rocket launch in Florida: What time is Cape Canaveral liftoff? Solve the daily Crossword
