Latest news with #CNSpaceflight
India Today
29-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
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 robotic Tianwen-2 spacecraft lifted off aboard a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan 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 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. 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 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 study of such objects could also improve planetary defense strategies by revealing more about the composition and structure of near-Earth 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 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 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
India Today
30-04-2025
- Science
- India Today
Three Chinese astronauts land successfully after six months in space
China's Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft and its three astronauts landed safely in northern China's Inner Mongolia region on Wednesday, concluding a six-month mission aboard the Tiangong space return, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed by a day due to strong winds at the Dongfeng landing site, marking the first time a Chinese crew landed at an alternate section of the site to ensure Shenzhou-19 mission launched on October 29, 2024, carrying commander Cai Xuzhe, spaceflight rookies Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze-China's youngest crew to date, with Song and Wang both born in 1990 and Wang being the country's third woman astronaut and first female spaceflight Shenzhou-19 has landed in DongFeng. Ground rescue team on the way. China 'N Asia Spaceflight (@CNSpaceflight) April 30, 2025 All three crew members are part of the Chinese military's air their 180-day stay, the astronauts conducted 86 scientific experiments, including a notable project exposing a brick made from simulated lunar soil to the harsh conditions of results could prove vital for China's ambitions to construct a permanent lunar research station by 2035, as the country aims for a crewed moon landing by crew also set a new Chinese record for the longest spacewalk, with Cai and Song spending over nine hours outside Tiangong in December to install debris shields and inspect crew landing soon! China 'N Asia Spaceflight (@CNSpaceflight) April 30, 2025Before their return, the Shenzhou-19 crew handed over command of the station to the newly arrived Shenzhou-20 team, ensuring continuous human presence aboard rapid advances in both crewed and uncrewed spaceflight have drawn international attention, especially as the country expands its space station and prepares for more ambitious lunar missions.
