China has embarked on a historic journey into the solar system with the launch of the Tianwen-2 mission. This ambitious endeavor aims to gather invaluable data from celestial bodies, including the near-Earth asteroid Kamoʻoalewa and the comet 311P/PANSTARRS.
The Tianwen-2 mission is designed as a dual-phase operation, with two distinct goals: first, to collect samples from Kamoʻoalewa; second, to study the comet. To achieve this, the probe will employ three innovative sampling techniques, including hover sampling, touch-and-go, and anchored drilling, depending on the asteroid’s surface conditions.
One of the significant challenges in this mission is navigating and interacting with small celestial bodies like asteroids and comets, which have weak and irregular gravity fields. The Tianwen-2 probe requires precise and complex navigation to closely match the asteroid’s rotation and speed to achieve successful sampling.
Beyond its scientific significance, the Tianwen-2 mission also holds potential implications for planetary defense. By studying the composition and trajectory of near-Earth objects, researchers can develop better models for predicting and responding to threats from space, enhancing the safety of our planet.
China’s ambitious space program continues to expand with this latest mission, which follows the successful Tianwen-1 Mars mission. The nation is investing heavily in its space infrastructure, including the operational Tiangong space station and plans for a crewed Moon mission later this decade.
Source: https://www.sustainability-times.com/research/nasa-didnt-see-this-coming-chinas-tianwen-2-asteroid-mission-stuns-u-s-scientists-and-sparks-urgent-high-level-space-response