Latest news with #Kamo'oalewa
Qatar Tribune
5 days ago
- Science
- Qatar Tribune
China mission to retrieve asteroid samples
Beijing: China launched its first mission to collect rock samples from a near-Earth asteroid early Thursday, aiming to deepen understanding of the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system. The unmanned Tianwen-2 spacecraft successfully took off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in south-west China, according to state news agency Xinhua, citing the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The probe will travel for about one year to reach asteroid 2016 HO3, also called Kamo'oalewa. Upon arrival, it will orbit the asteroid to gain knowledge of the sampling area before collecting material from its surface. The samples are expected to be returned to Earth in a capsule by the end of 2027. (DPA)
Time of India
5 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Why China is going behind the asteroids with its Tianwen-2 Mission
China has launched its much-anticipated Tianwen-2 mission , marking a significant milestone in its growing ambitions for deep space exploration. The spacecraft successfully lifted off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre on 28 May 2025. Its objective is to collect samples from a near-Earth asteroid and later travel to a distant comet. This mission highlights China's increasing capability in planetary science and space technology. Scientists hope the mission will shed light on the origins of celestial bodies and the early solar system, while also enhancing China's standing in the global space community. Target of Tianwen-2 Mission — A quasi-satellite with lunar hints The primary target of Tianwen-2 is 469219 Kamo'oalewa (also known as 2016 HO3), a small and unusual asteroid discovered in 2016 by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii. It belongs to a rare category called quasi-satellites, which orbit the Sun but stay relatively close to Earth, influenced by its gravity. This unique orbit creates the illusion that Kamo'oalewa is orbiting Earth. What has intrigued scientists most is that its reflected light spectrum closely resembles that of lunar rocks, suggesting it may be a fragment from the Moon. Importance of China's Tianwen-2 Mission The Tianwen-2 mission places China among a select group of nations, including the United States and Japan, that have succeeded in asteroid sample-return missions. However, China's objectives go beyond technical achievement. Its mission addresses several scientific and strategic goals: Understanding planetary origins: Sampling a quasi-satellite may reveal how such objects formed and evolved. Developing new technology: Tianwen-2 will test both "touch-and-go" and "anchor-and-attach" methods to collect asteroid material. Improving planetary defence: Studying near-Earth objects could help future efforts to detect and deflect hazardous asteroids. Enhancing national prestige: Successful missions demonstrate China's growing capabilities and leadership in space exploration. Beyond the asteroid: A double-destination journey Once Tianwen-2 delivers the asteroid samples to Earth in 2027, it will continue its mission. Using Earth's gravity for a slingshot manoeuvre, the probe will set course for a second target: comet 311P/PANSTARRS. This object exhibits both asteroid-like and comet-like characteristics, offering a rare opportunity to study the transition between the two. The spacecraft is expected to arrive at 311P around 2035 and will carry out extensive observations using cameras, spectrometers, particle analysers, radar instruments and a magnetometer. The mission may provide clues about the origin of Earth's water and other vital compounds. Broader vision behind China's Tianwen-2 Mission Tianwen-2 follows China's successful Tianwen-1 Mars mission and precedes the upcoming Tianwen-3, which aims to return samples from Mars. Later, Tianwen-4 will explore the Jupiter system and possibly Uranus. These missions are part of a long-term vision positioning China as a leading space power by the middle of this century. With Tianwen-2, China is not simply gathering rock samples. It is pursuing deeper knowledge, advancing its scientific capabilities and strengthening its role in international space exploration. The asteroid's secrets, locked away for billions of years, may help to understand how our planet, its Moon and the solar system itself came to be.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
China launches Tianwen-2 asteroid and comet study mission
May 28 (UPI) -- China Wednesday launched its Tianwen-2 space mission to collect asteroid samples and conduct a main-belt comet study. A LongMarch 3B rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 3B Y110 rocket lifted off toward the near-Earth asteroid 469219 Kamo'oalewa and is expected to take a year to reach the asteroid. Asteroid samples are scheduled to return to Earth by 2027 as the mission heads for a rendezvous with the 311P/Pantstarrs comet around 2035. "All Chinese planetary scientists are now finger-crossed for this historic mission," said University of Hong Kong lunar geologist Yuqi Qian in a statement. The Chinese spacecraft will try to collect rocky matter from the asteroid, sending a capsule full of the space rocks back to Earth. China would be the third nation after the United States and Japan to bring back asteroid samples if this mission succeeds. Scientists will be able to carefully analyze the asteroid samples, identifying chemical and physical properties at detail not possible from remote observations alone. The Kamo'oalewa asteroid is a quasi-satellite of Earth a few dozen meters across with very atypical orbital characteristics. It may be piece of the moon put into orbit by some sort of large impact like a meteor. Studying samples from Kamo'oalewa could yield critical information about the formation and evolution of the Earth-moon system. The deep-space mission's onboard gear includes an ejecta analyzer, a radar instrument, and a magnetometer, which will be used to map the asteroid's and comet's microenvironment. Those instruments can map magnetic fields, detect very small dust particles and also analyze subsurface compositions. Tianwen-2 will orbit the 311P/Panstarrs comet in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter in order to collect data that could help learn where Earth's water came from. This is China's second planetary exploration mission. Tianwen-1 launched a Mars orbiter and rover in 2020.
UPI
6 days ago
- Science
- UPI
China launches Tianwen-2 asteroid and comet study mission
China on Wednesday launched its Tianwen-2 space mission to collect asteroid samples and conduct a main-belt comet study. A LongMarch 3B rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Photo courtesy Chinese National Space Administration May 28 (UPI) -- China Wednesday launched its Tianwen-2 space mission to collect asteroid samples and conduct a main-belt comet study. A LongMarch 3B rocket lifted off from Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The Long March 3B Y110 rocket lifted off toward the near-Earth asteroid 469219 Kamo'oalewa and is expected to take a year to reach the asteroid. Asteroid samples are scheduled to return to Earth by 2027 as the mission heads for a rendezvous with the 311P/Pantstarrs comet around 2035. "All Chinese planetary scientists are now finger-crossed for this historic mission," said University of Hong Kong lunar geologist Yuqi Qian in a statement. The Chinese spacecraft will try to collect rocky matter from the asteroid, sending a capsule full of the space rocks back to Earth. China would be the third nation after the United States and Japan to bring back asteroid samples if this mission succeeds. Scientists will be able to carefully analyze the asteroid samples, identifying chemical and physical properties at detail not possible from remote observations alone. The Kamo'oalewa asteroid is a quasi-satellite of Earth a few dozen meters across with very atypical orbital characteristics. It may be piece of the moon put into orbit by some sort of large impact like a meteor. Studying samples from Kamo'oalewa could yield critical information about the formation and evolution of the Earth-moon system. The deep-space mission's onboard gear includes an ejecta analyzer, a radar instrument, and a magnetometer, which will be used to map the asteroid's and comet's microenvironment. Those instruments can map magnetic fields, detect very small dust particles and also analyze subsurface compositions. Tianwen-2 will orbit the 311P/Panstarrs comet in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter in order to collect data that could help learn where Earth's water came from. This is China's second planetary exploration mission. Tianwen-1 launched a Mars orbiter and rover in 2020.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
China launching Tianwen-2 mission today to snag samples of a near-Earth asteroid
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. China is ready to launch a mission to collect samples from a near-Earth asteroid. Propellant was being loaded into a Long March 3B rocket at Xichang spaceport in the southwest of the country, following checks and rehearsals, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on May 26. The Tianwen 2 mission is set to launch on May 29 Beijing time, according to CNSA. This aligns with airspace closure notices suggesting that launch will take place around 1:30 p.m. EDT on May 28 (1730 GMT; or 1:30 a.m. Beijing time, May 29). It was unclear at time of reporting if live streams of the event would be available. "At present, at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, various preparations for the mission are progressing steadily. The Long March 3B Y110 carrier rocket that will carry out the launch is about to be filled with propellant," the CNSA statement read. Tianwen 2 will first target Kamo'oalewa (also referred to as 2016 HO3), a small, unusual near-Earth asteroid, aiming to deliver samples of the object to Earth sometime in 2027. The mission will test out a number of sampling techniques, including attempting a landing on the rocky body, if terrain allows. Scientists want to assess the samples to determine the origins of the asteroid, which may be pieces of the moon sent into orbit by a giant impact, and provide insights into the wider evolution of the solar system. Mission data could also assist planetary defense planning. Kamo'oalewa is just the first of the mission's destinations, however. Tianwen 2 will use its return visit to Earth to both drop off the samples in a reentry module and use our planet's gravity to slingshot it on a path that will take it to the comet 311P/PANSTARRS, arriving around 2035. Once there, Tianwen 2 will orbit the comet and use its range of cameras, spectrometers and other instruments to collect data that may provide insights into mysteries such as where Earth's water came from. The spacecraft also carries charged and neutral particle analyzers, a radar instrument, an ejecta analyzer and a magnetometer. RELATED STORIES: — China to launch Tianwen 2 asteroid-sampling mission in 2025 — China to launch Tianwen 2 asteroid-sampling mission in 2025 — China's Tianwen 1 orbiter produces global map of Mars (video) 311P orbits in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, exhibiting the orbit of an asteroid but also displaying dust tails like a comet, according to Chinese researchers. Tianwen 2 is China's second planetary exploration mission, following on from the Tianwen 1 Mars orbiter and rover, which launched in 2020. Tianwen 3 will be a Mars sample return mission, launching in late 2028, while Tianwen 4 will visit the Jupiter system and potentially Uranus.
