As of Friday morning, the Tianwen-2 probe had been operating smoothly in orbit for over eight days, reaching a distance of more than 3 million kilometers from Earth, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
The CNSA also released an image captured by the probe, showing one unfolded solar panel.
The Tianwen-2 probe is launched at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China, May 29, 2025. /VCG
China launched its first asteroid sample-return mission, Tianwen-2, on May 29, an endeavor to shed light on the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system.
The Tianwen-2 mission aims to achieve multiple goals over a decade-long expedition: collecting samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3 and exploring the main-belt comet 311P, which is more distant than Mars.
To meet power demands during the deep-space voyage, the Tianwen-2 probe is equipped with circular, flexible solar panels.
Read more: Check out the details of China's Tianwen-2 asteroid mission