The Tianwen 2 probe, which reached the launch preparation area on Sunday, is now undergoing prelaunch checks at the center. It arrived at the spaceport in late February for fueling and comprehensive tests, while its carrier rocket, a Long March 3B, was moved to the launch pad last Wednesday, the CNSA reported.

Mission planners outlined that Tianwen 2 will target the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3, also known as 469219 Kamo'oalewa. This small, quasi-moon, discovered in 2016 by the Haleakala High Altitude Observatory in Hawaii, orbits the Sun in a stable path close to Earth, making it an ideal candidate for sample collection.

The mission's design features a dual-component probe with an orbiter and a reentry module. Once Tianwen 2 reaches the asteroid, it will orbit the celestial body for several months, using a mechanical arm to collect surface dust before heading back toward Earth. The reentry module will then separate and return the samples to Earth, while the orbiter continues on to study 311P, a main-belt comet between Mars and Jupiter.

Tianwen missions are part of China's broader interplanetary exploration efforts, named after an ancient Chinese poem. The first in the series, Tianwen 1, successfully landed a rover on Mars in 2021, marking China's initial foray into deep space exploration.

Asteroid 2016 HO3, while not a true moon, remains Earth's closest and most stable quasi-moon, offering insights into the early solar system's formation and evolution. Meanwhile, 311P exhibits characteristics of both comets and asteroids, presenting scientists with a unique opportunity to study a hybrid celestial body.

Tianwen 1 was launched in July 2020, and its rover, Zhurong, became the sixth rover to explore Mars after those deployed by the United States.

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China National Space Administration
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