Rudolph Angler China launched its Tianwen-2 probe on Thursday using a Long March 3-B rocket from southern China. The spacecraft aims to collect samples from asteroid 2016 HO3 and study comet 311P, located beyond Mars. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirmed the mission will last over ten years. CNSA director Shan Zhongde described Tianwen-2 as a key milestone in China’s deep space exploration efforts. The agency expects the probe to return asteroid samples in about two years. Scientists believe these samples could help explain Earth’s formation and the origin of water. The asteroids were chosen due to their stable and predictable orbits.
China has previously made headlines by bringing back rocks from the moon’s far side, a world-first mission. The CNSA has invited international partners to join space exploration efforts. However, US law currently restricts direct cooperation between NASA and Chinese agencies, limiting scientific partnerships between the two space powers. The far side of the moon, known for its many craters and mountains, remains difficult to reach. China succeeded by landing a lunar rover there and returning samples to Earth. Chinese officials highlight these missions as proof of the country’s growing technological capabilities in space science.
In addition to these achievements, China operates the Tiangong space station with a three-person crew. Built independently without outside help, Tiangong allows China to conduct advanced space experiments. The station was developed after the US blocked China’s involvement in the International Space Station project. China’s space program is managed by the People’s Liberation Army and has joined the US and Russia in independently sending humans into space. The country has landed a probe on Mars and a rover on the moon’s far side. Officials plan to send Chinese astronauts to the moon before 2030. Future missions like Tianwen-4 are planned to explore Jupiter, though details remain limited. China’s rapid progress positions it as a key player in the new era of space exploration.