Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

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China’s is preparing to enter the asteroid sample-return mission business, launching before month’s end its Tianwen-2 robotic probe.

To be launched within the coming two weeks from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, the Tianwen-2 robotic probe was moved to the launch preparation area at the center last Sunday.

Tianwen-2, an orbiter and a reentry module, is to be lofted by a Long March 3B booster and will target 2016 HO3, the smallest and closest “quasi-satellite” to Earth.

Mechanical arm action

After approaching 2016 HO3, the robotic spacecraft will orbit the asteroid for months and slip close to the space rock and use a mechanical arm to scoop dust from the object’s surface.

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Tianwen-2 will then fly back to Earth’s orbit and release its reentry module for Earth recovery. The return capsule is expected to land 100 grams of material to Earth in about two and a half years.

Next target

The orbiter will then head out toward a main-belt comet called 311P to continue its scientific exploration tasks.

311P is part of the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Its physical composition is like those that of comets, but its orbital characteristics resemble those of asteroids, according to astrophysicists.

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Interplanetary missions

Tianwen-1 was launched in July 2020 and touched down on Mars in May 2021. The probe deployed the Zhurong rover that scouted about Utopia Planitia for several months.

According to Shan Zhongde, China National Space Administration’s director, said that Tianwen-2 is planned to fly alongside and sample an asteroid, return to Earth and fly alongside a main-belt comet in a single launch.

“In the future, we will advance deep space exploration missions such as the Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission and Tianwen-4 to Jupiter in an orderly manner,” Shan said.