China has launched a spacecraft that returns samples from an asteroid near Mars and promises to “produce groundbreaking discoveries and expand human knowledge about space.”
The Tianwen-2 probe was launched early on Thursday from southern China on a long March 3rd rocket.
According to the China National Space Agency (CNSA), the probe collects samples from Asteroid 2016HO3 and explores the main belt comet 311p, which is further away from Earth than Mars.
Shan Zhongde, head of the CNSA, said the Tianwen-2 mission represents “a critical step in China’s new journey of interplanetary exploration.” And its 10-year mission will “produce groundbreaking discoveries and expand human knowledge of the universe.”
The 2016HO3 sample is expected to be returned in about two years. Asteroids chosen for their relatively stable orbits are expected to provide clues to Earth’s formation, such as the origin of water.
China has previously welcomed international cooperation by returning rock samples from across the moon on its historic mission.
However, cooperation with the US depends on removing US laws that prohibit direct bilateral cooperation with NASA.
The moon is visible from Earth, while the distance is facing the universe. It is also known to have mountains and impact craters in the distance, which is much more difficult to reach.
China also operates a three-person Tiangon, or “The Celestial Palace” space station, running a major player in a new era of space exploration and a country that conducts experiments in space, particularly as the station was built entirely in China after the country was removed from the International Space Station over US national security concerns.
China’s space program is managed by the People’s Liberation Army, the military division of the ruling Communist Party.
The country’s space programme has grown rapidly over 20 years since it first placed men in space.
The space agency landed a rover on Mars with an unmanned explorer and a rover on the other side of the moon.
We aim to have people on the moon before 2030.
Future Tianwen-4 Jupiter missions are expected to explore Jupiter, but details have not been released yet.
