China has launched its first mission to collect samples from an asteroid and return them to Earth, marking a significant milestone in its expanding space program. The Tianwen-2 probe lifted off aboard a Long March-3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province early Thursday, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The mission targets the near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3—discovered in 2016 and believed to contain primordial material from the early solar system—as well as comet 311P, located between Mars and Jupiter. The Tianwen-2 mission is expected to span approximately 10 years.
Shan Zhongde, head of the China National Space Administration, described the mission as a “major step” in China’s interplanetary exploration journey.
This ambitious project is part of China’s broader “space dream,” backed by President Xi Jinping, which includes operating the Tiangong space station, landing rovers on the Moon and Mars, and planning a future crewed lunar mission and permanent base. The launch underscores China’s determination to become a dominant force in space exploration.
