“China to launch Tianwen-2 satellite for asteroid sample collection and comet exploration”

Hefei, Bolong.id — China will launch the Tianwen-2 satellite in 2025 to collect samples from near-earth asteroids and explore comets, said Zhang Rongqiao, China’s chief planetary exploration designer.

Reported from Xinhua (24/04/2023) The main aim of the Tianwen-2 mission is to send a probe to the near-earth asteroid codenamed 2016HO3 to collect samples, Zhang Rongqiao, who is also the chief designer of the Tianwen-2 mission, told media. on Space Day April 24.

“If successful, it will be China’s first sample collected from interplanetary space,” Zhang said, adding that a spacecraft would be sent to fly and then land on an asteroid to collect samples.

After completing this main task, the spacecraft is expected to continue its journey of exploring comets in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, said Zhang.