China's Tianwen-2 Mission to Sample Asteroid Kamo'oalewa
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Mission Name | Tianwen-2 |
| Target Asteroid | 469219 Kamo'oalewa (quasi-satellite discovered in 2016) |
| Mission Type | Asteroid survey and sample-return |
| Launch Timeline | Expected this week |
| Sampling Methods | Touch-and-go (primary), anchor-and-attach (backup) |
| Mission Phases | 1. Sample asteroid surface<br>2. Return samples to Earth<br>3. Proceed to main asteroid belt |
| Asteroid Characteristics | - One of seven known quasi-satellites of Earth<br>- Elliptical orbit around Sun, appears to orbit Earth<br>- Estimated 40-100m diameter<br>- Stable orbit for ~100 years, expected to remain for ~300 more |
| Scientific Significance | - Origins of quasi-satellites<br>- Lunar material hypothesis (possible ejection from Moon)<br>- Giant impact theory of Moon's formation<br>- Gravitational dynamics of near-Earth objects |
| Technological Challenges | - Small size complicates landing<br>- Requires advanced imaging, navigation, and sampling |
| Predecessor Missions | NASA's OSIRIS-REx, JAXA's Hayabusa2 |
| Global Significance | China to join elite group (US, Japan) in asteroid sample-return missions |