The latest mission space in China has started.
Tianwen 2 asteroid-comet probe lifted on Tuesday (May 28), riding the final border of the roof a Long March 3b rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwestern China.
Tianwen 2 marked another step forward to the frequent development of China, which is always robotic exploration program. Here is a short rundown what spacecraft do in the next few years, and which milestones will be achieved for China.
Tianwen 2 led Kayo’ealewa (also known as 2016 Ho3), a Near-ground asteroid (NEA) 2016 has been discovered between 100 and 330 feet (40 and 100 meters) wide.
Kayoalewa is not an ordinary stone space; This is a “quasi-moon” of WORLDmeans it’s circles the sun on a passage that keeps it on our planet. The land has seven known quasi-satellite, including Cardea, which recently named Through a competition organized by the International Astronomical Union and the Science Podcast Radelab.
Kamo’oaleda is one of the most interesting of these cosmic colleagues. Unlike most neas, it does not appear to be from the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter; Instead, astronomers think astronomers This is a fragment of the moon collapsed by a giant impact in the last 10 million years. Space Rock analysis can be confirmed by that the theory; It can also light the evolution of SOLL System.
Tianwen 2 will give some key data, if all goes according to the plan. Checking is expected to reach Kayo’oalewa in July 2026. It will make observations in close range of science gear, including cameras, spectrometers, a magnetometer and an analysis of dust. This work will reveal views about Quasi-Moon and help the team choose a suitable sampling site.
Checking then swoop to collect about 100 grams (3.5 ounce) material from stone space, apparently Use two different ways: “Touch and go” and “anchor and attach.” The latter approach, which requires use of one or more drills, has not been tried before, but touching and going tried and true; NASA’s Osirisis-rex Probe and Japan’s Hayabusa2 It’s used in snag samples of asteroids bennu and ryugu, actually.
Tianwen 2 leaves you’oaleda on April 2027, bringing spaces rock sitsel back to earth. A capsule containing a valuable material to come here about seven months ago, but motherhood flies.
Tianwen 2 gets a “Gravity Help” from the earth will come back, thanks where it will swallow around our second destination comet 311p / panstarrs, living in asteroid belt.
311p / panstarrs, also known as P / 2013 P5, discovered in 2013 in astronomers using Pan-Starrs 1 Telescope in Hawaii. Like Kayoalewa, 311p / Panstarrs Something an oddball; It has the same asteroid and comet parts and therefore sometimes classified as a “Active asteroid. “
For example, 1,570-foot-wide (480-meter-wide) 311p / panstarrs sports six tails of dustMaybe because it runs easy enough to flipping a large amount of material surface in space.
Tianwen 2 comes in orbit around the comet of 2035, then measure the target it uses Instrument instrument (All from a distance; Tianwen-2 will not prompt or sample 311p / Pantarrs). Checking data can reveal views about active asteroids and comets in general, and can also help determine what kind of body is responsible for the most Delivering the water in billions of years ago.
Tianwen 2 is the first Chinese mission to an asteroid or comet, and the second effort to explore its planet in general. The first one, Tianwen 1sent an orbiter and a rover to Mars by 2020.
More than missions come; China’s aim to launch the Tianwen 3 Mars Sample-Mission Mission in 2028 and Tianwen 4A joint Jupiter-Uranus project, two years ago.
Indeed, Tianwen 2 is not the first sample of China-Return Mission; The country has taken two. Chang’e 5 Houded material from nearside to the moon on the ground on December 2020, and Chang’e 6 The first samples were returned from the Lunar Farside in June 2024.
