Tianwen-2 is a Chinese deep-space exploration mission focused on the study of small bodies in the solar system. Launched on May 28, 2025, aboard a Long March rocket, the spacecraft marks China’s first attempt at a near-Earth asteroid sample-return mission. The primary target is the asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa, a small near-Earth object that orbits Earth and is thought to originate from lunar material.

The spacecraft is designed to collect samples from the asteroid using multiple methods, including surface contact and drilling techniques. After completing its operations at Kamoʻoalewa, Tianwen-2 is expected…