On May 29, the Long March 3B carrier rocket launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, deploying the Tianwen-2 probe, part of the Planetary Exploration of China, into orbit. The launch achieved complete success, marking China’s first step in asteroid exploration and sample-return journey.
As China’s first spacecraft specifically for asteroid exploration and sample return, Tianwen-2 was designed and manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, weighing approximately 2.1 tons. The mission involves exploring asteroid 2016HO3, collecting samples, and returning them to Earth, followed by scientific observations of the main-belt comet 311P.
