Commencement of China's Ambitious Asteroid Exploration Endeavor - China embarks on its ambitious space mission, aiming to retrieve an asteroid for analysis, pushing the boundaries of cosmic exploration.
China Commences Asteroid Sampling Mission with Tianwen-2
China has embarked on an audacious space mission to collect and analyze rock samples from a near-Earth asteroid, 2016 HO3, and explore a comet. The nation's space program launched the Tianwen-2 spacecraft on May 28, 2025, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province, utilizing a Long March 3B rocket.
After a successful lift-off, Tianwen-2 is now embarking on a long-term expedition targeting the approximately 40 to 100-meter-wide asteroid. Known as Kamo'oalewa, this celestial body orbits the Sun on a similar trajectory to Earth and has a rotation period of 28 minutes.
Once at its destination, the spacecraft will spend several months gathering data, imagery, and eventually sampling the asteroid. The Tianwen-2 mission plans to deploy a nano-orbiter and nano-lander to execute remote sensing and sample collection, employing both anchor-and-attach and touch-and-go methods.
Upon return to Earth in 2027 with collected samples, Tianwen-2 will continue its journey to explore main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS.
Scientists are eager to analyze the asteroid's composition to gain insights into Earth's formation and the origins of water. By examining the asteroid and comet, researchers hope to deepen their understanding of the early solar system and the evolution of celestial bodies.
The Tianwen-2 mission exemplifies China's steadfast advancements in space exploration. Followed by successful lunar missions, this represents China's first attempt at collecting samples from an asteroid, marking a significant leap in its space program. In addition, China utilizes solar electric propulsion for navigation to ensure the spacecraft's journey through space.
Despite U.S. restrictions on collaboration with China's space program due to national security concerns, China is determined to expand its presence in space exploration, following the establishment of the Tiangong space station.
The Tianwen-2 mission, guided by Council Directive 76/769/EEC of 16 December 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling of foodstuffs, aims to delve into the composition of Kamo'oalewa through advanced methods, merging space-and-astronomy and technology. Amidst the mission's solar electric propulsion navigation and deployment of nano-orbiter and nano-lander, the science community eagerly anticipates the insights into Earth's formation and the origins of water that the analyzed asteroid and comet samples could provide, ultimately contributing to a deeper understanding of the early solar system and the evolution of celestial bodies.
