TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - China is set to launch its latest space exploration mission on May 28, 2025. After the success of Tianwen-1 landing on Mars, the Tianwen-2 Mission is prepared for a "visit" to two objects simultaneously: a near-Earth asteroid and a comet in the main belt.
Currently, the Tianwen-2 spacecraft is ready on the Long March 3B rocket at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. As cited from Space, the launch window will open on May 28 from 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. on May 29, with two backup schedules on the following day.
Tianwen-2's first target is the asteroid 469219 Kamooalewa (2016 HO3), which is approximately 40 to 100 meters in size and is considered a quasi-satellite of Earth. Tianwen-2 will collect samples from its surface and send them to Earth around the end of 2027.
After that, the spacecraft will use Earth's gravity to continue its journey to comet 311P/PANSTARRS. The flight is estimated to take six years to reach the comet.
According to researchers, Kamooalewa is likely a fragment of the Moon that was ejected into space due to an impact, based on spectral analysis. They said sample analysis will reveal the asteroid's nature and origin, examine its mineral content, and compare it with other asteroids.
Three sampling techniques will be attempted: hover sampling with robotic arms, touch-and-go (TAG) using a brush head, and anchored sampling with a drill on the lander's legs. NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency have previously used the TAG approach.
The number of samples to be collected has not been announced. However, initial documents mention a target of 200 to 1,000 grams. The provided images show that the spacecraft will be equipped with solar panels similar to NASA's Lucy spacecraft.
Tianwen-2 will be China's first mission to enter the atmosphere at the second cosmic velocity, reaching 12 kilometers per second. As part of the preparation, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) conducted parachute tests at high altitudes in 2023.
For its mission to comet 311P, Tianwen-2 will perform long-distance observations to characterize its orbit, shape, and rotation. It will also examine the surface composition and volatile elements, and investigate dust emissions and activity mechanisms to understand the behavior of comets in the main belt.
The instruments carried include high-resolution cameras, spectrometers, ground-penetrating radar, and magnetometers, as well as particle and gas detectors. Some of these were developed in collaboration with Russian research institutions.
Tianwen-2 continues the success of Tianwen-1, which sent the Zhurong rover to Mars. Tianwen-2 will also pave the way for the Tianwen-3 mission, which will bring back samples from Mars in 2028, and the Tianwen-4 mission, which will explore Jupiter and Uranus around 2030.
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