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 to return the collected material to Earth in 2027, allowing scientists to analyze its composition and better understand the formation and evolution of near-Earth objects.

Following the sample-return phase, the mission will continue its journey to conduct a flyby of the comet 311P/PanSTARRS. This extended phase is the first to combine an asteroid sample with a subsequent comet…