Chinese probe for asteroid and comet started

The unmanned room probe “Tiippen-2” left in the early Thursday morning (local time) on board a rocket of the “Langer Marsch 3B” rocket of the Xictrum Xichang in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan. The State news agency Xinhua of China spoke about a successful start, referring to the Chinese Space Authority.

“Tanzen-2” now follows a course on the Asteroid 2016 HO3, which is approximately 40 million kilometers away, better known as Kamo’oalewa. The heavenly body is considered a so-called quasi-satellite of the earth because it circles the sun on a similar track. The researchers expect new knowledge of the rehearsals that “Tiwen-2” collect on the surface, new knowledge about the origin and early development of our solar system.

A complex mission
The mission is complex: firstly, the kamo’oalewa probe will circling over several months to collect detailed data and images. This is followed by samples, which must then be returned to the ground. They are expected to be stopped by the probe using a return capsule in 2027. Afterwards it is said that “Tanzen-2” will fly to Comet 311p, which is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Asteroids are small celestial bodies made of stone and metal. Comets consist of ice, dust and frozen gas and develop a clear tail when the sun approaches.

Since 2023, China has had its own, constantly occupied space station. Since 2023, Beijing has also announced a manned landing of the moon. With the start of “Tiessen-2”, the People’s Republic now wants to close a gap: so far, only the United States and Japan are able to bring materials from asteroids to earth.