- CNSA said that the Tianwen-2 probe will fly past the asteroid Kamo'oalewa after completing a 400-day journey.
- According to CNSA, the Tianwen-2 mission will travel 20 kilometers per second during its closest approach to the asteroid.
- After the asteroid flyby, the probe will conduct research on the asteroid and return to Earth, with the flyby taking place in 2027 (the probe is expected to fly past the asteroid in 2027).
The Chinese Tianwen-2 probe is scheduled to fly past the asteroid Kamo'oalewa (also known as 2016 HO3) after completing a 400-day journey, China National Space Administration (CNSA) said.
According to CNSA, the probe will travel 20 kilometers per second during its closest approach to the asteroid, meaning it will cover a distance of several kilometers in just one second. The asteroid will be visible from Earth from 2016, and it will be possible to observe it with the naked eye; it will be close to Earth, and it will be possible to observe it with the naked eye. The probe will conduct research on the asteroid and will fly past it in the vicinity of Earth, through which it will pass twice.
After the Tianwen-2 mission begins, CNSA says it will conduct detailed scientific research on the asteroid during its flyby, including studying its morphology and internal structure, as well as observing it for the purpose of understanding the asteroid's properties.
After the flyby of the Tianwen-2 probe, it will release a module for transporting to Earth. The planned module release time is in 2027.
The Tianwen-2 mission is scheduled to begin in 2025. DW materials say that the probe will be able to land on Earth in the end.
Ars Technica reports that the probe is expected to take about 2 years to complete the flyby. The outlet notes that the probe will fly past the asteroid at a distance of about 400 kilometers, while the flyby is planned for 2027.