flown missionSuccess

Long March 3B/E | Tianwen-2

China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationLaunch Complex 2 (LC-2) — Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

mission

Name
Tianwen-2
Type
Planetary Science
Target orbit
Asteroid (Asteroid)

Tianwen-2 is a planned Chinese asteroid sample return and comet orbiter mission due for launch in May 2025. The spacecraft will visit the Near Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3), collecting samples from its surface using both touch-and-go and anchor-and-drill approaches. It will return the samples back to Earth around 2.5 years after launch, with the main spacecraft proceeding to visit the main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS in the mid-2030s.

schedule

NET (no earlier than)
Window opens
Window closes
Last updated

vehicle & provider

Rocket
Long March 3B/E
Family
Long March
Variant
B/E
Provider
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Type
Government
Country
CHN

launch site

Pad
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2)
Location
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Country
CHN
Timezone
Asia/Shanghai