China just kicked off an interstellar treasure hunt! The Tianwen-2 spacecraft launched early Thursday, marking the country’s first mission to snag samples from a near-Earth asteroid—and it’s got a 10-year cosmic to-do list. 🛰️
A Long March-3B rocket lit up the sky at 1:31 a.m. Beijing Time from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, propelling the probe toward asteroid 2016HO3. But that’s not all: Tianwen-2 will also swing by main-belt comet 311P, located beyond Mars, to study its secrets. Scientists say these space rocks could hold clues about how our solar system formed billions of years ago. 🔭
Think of it like a celestial time capsule—the samples could reveal ancient chemistry that Earth’s geology has long erased. Plus, exploring 311P might help us understand how water and organic molecules spread through the cosmos. 💧✨
"This mission pushes boundaries," said a CNSA spokesperson. "It’s not just about China—it’s about unlocking universal knowledge." The launch follows China’s recent lunar sample successes, proving its space program is reaching for the stars (literally!). 🌕
