China's Tianwen-2 space probe has reached its target, the near-Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa, after a journey of 1 billion kilometers (620 million miles) that spanned more than a year. The Chinese space agency confirmed the arrival on Monday, marking a key milestone in the nation's first asteroid sample return mission.
The spacecraft, which launched on May 29, 2025, has already transmitted its first image of Kamo'oalewa, revealing a small, elongated rocky body. The probe aims to collect surface samples from the asteroid before returning them to Earth for laboratory analysis.
The arrival comes after a long cruise phase that began following Tianwen-2's liftoff. The mission's timeline includes a sample collection phase at Kamo'oalewa, after which the spacecraft will depart for its return journey. No specific date for the sample return has been announced.
Kamo'oalewa, a near-Earth asteroid, is of particular scientific interest because it may be a fragment of the Moon, possibly ejected by an ancient impact. The sample could provide insights into the Earth-Moon system's history and the early solar system's formation. China's mission follows similar efforts by Japan's Hayabusa2 and NASA's OSIRIS-REx but targets a different body.
The scientific community will closely analyze the data and samples for clues about asteroid composition and the Moon's geological past. However, sample return missions from such distant bodies are technically challenging, and the success of the collection and return phases remains uncertain.