The early hours of Thursday saw China’s Tianwen-2 mission blast off with a bold vision for deep space exploration 🚀. Launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province, this mission kicks off a decade-long journey to unlock the secrets of our solar system!
Tianwen-2 has two major goals: collecting samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3 – a fascinating quasi-satellite orbiting the sun close to our planet – and exploring the main-belt comet 311P, located even further than Mars. Scientists call these bodies "cosmic fossils" because they preserve clues about the early days of our solar system.
After a smooth deployment of its solar panels, the spacecraft is now cruising on its transfer orbit. Shan Zhongde, head of the CNSA, stressed that the mission marks an important milestone in China’s journey toward advanced interplanetary exploration. This is a thrilling moment for tech enthusiasts and curious minds alike, reminding us that there is always something new to learn from the stars ✨.
Stay tuned as Tianwen-2 sets out to deepen our understanding of the cosmos and inspire the next generation of space explorers!
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
