Mission Overview
Tianwen-2 is a planned Chinese asteroid sample return and comet orbiter mission due for launch in May 2025. The spacecraft will visit the Near Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3), collecting samples from its surface using both touch-and-go and anchor-and-drill approaches. It will return the samples back to Earth around 2.5 years after launch, with the main spacecraft proceeding to visit the main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS in the mid-2030s.
Payloads
1
Type
Planetary Science
Vehicle
Long March 3B/E
Window
05:22 PM UTC – 05:44 PM UTC
Rocket
CH
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Launch Site
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China