Story perspectives

China’s Tianwen-2 Flies Within 20 km of Asteroid Kamo’oalewa

7/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

Tianwen-2 approached within about 20 km of asteroid Kamo’oalewa on July 2, 2026.
CNSA announced the arrival on July 4, 2026 and released an image on July 6, 2026.
Launched May 2025, the probe spent 400 days traveling 620 million miles to reach the 30-100 m, half-hour-rotating asteroid.
Success would make China the third nation to return asteroid samples and the first to anchor.
After five years at Kamo’oalewa, the probe will travel to comet 311P, extending the mission to a decade.

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Story summary

Tianwen-2 approached within about 20 km of asteroid Kamo’oalewa on July 2, 2026.
CNSA announced the arrival on July 4, 2026 and released an image on July 6, 2026.
Launched May 2025, the probe spent 400 days traveling 620 million miles to reach the 30-100 m, half-hour-rotating asteroid.
Success would make China the third nation to return asteroid samples and the first to anchor.
After five years at Kamo’oalewa, the probe will travel to comet 311P, extending the mission to a decade.