First look: Tianwen-2 reaches asteroid 2016 HO3 after 1bn-km trip

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China’s Tianwen-2 probe has arrived at asteroid 2016 HO3 and begun scientific exploration recently, after an about 400-day journey of roughly 1 billion km through deep space.

New image released by the China National Space Administration on Monday shows the target asteroid, captured by the probe from roughly 20 km away.

During the close approach, optical navigation data helped refine the asteroid’s ephemeris, reducing positional uncertainty from hundreds of kilometers to the kilometer level.

Next, the Tianwen-2 will conduct more detailed investigations of the asteroid’s shape, composition and internal structure, to support sample-return preparations.

This is China’s first asteroid sample-return mission. The Tianwen-2 was launched on May 29 last year from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

(Li Yi, Cai Jinman contributed to the story)

The Tianwen-2 probe captured this image of asteroid 2016 HO3 from a distance of about 20 kilometers on July 2, 2026./CNSA

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