China has launched a spacecraft aimed at collecting samples from an asteroid near Mars, with the potential to deliver “groundbreaking discoveries” and deepen our understanding of the universe, according to the nation’s space agency.
The Tianwen-2 probe was launched Thursday from southern China on a Long March 3-B rocket. It will gather samples from the asteroid 2016HO3 and study the main-belt comet 311P, located beyond Mars, the China National Space Administration announced.
CNSA chief Shan Zhongde described the mission as a “major milestone in China’s interplanetary exploration,” noting that over its 10-year duration, it will “produce groundbreaking discoveries and advance human knowledge of the cosmos.”
Samples from 2016HO3 are expected to return in roughly two years, with the asteroid’s stable orbit potentially offering insights into Earth’s formation, including the origins of water.
China previously achieved a historic milestone by returning samples from the moon’s far side and has opened its program to international collaboration. However, U.S. cooperation remains restricted due to an American law prohibiting direct partnerships with NASA.
The moon’s near side is visible from Earth, while the far side, facing outer space, features mountains, craters, and greater exploration challenges.
China also operates its Tiangong space station, fully built by the nation after exclusion from the International Space Station due to U.S. security concerns, cementing its role as a key player in space exploration.
Managed by the People’s Liberation Army, China’s space program has advanced rapidly since becoming the third nation to independently send a human into space over 20 years ago. It has landed a Mars explorer, a lunar rover on the moon’s far side, and plans a manned lunar mission before 2030.
The upcoming Tianwen-4 mission will target Jupiter, though further details remain undisclosed.
