Archive · 1 Jul 2025
Tianwen 2 Sends Images of Earth and Moon From Space
China's Tianwen 2 spacecraft took pictures of Earth and the Moon from far away.
The spacecraft launched on May 29 and took the pictures a day later.
It's traveling to an asteroid and a comet to grab samples.
The mission hopes to learn more about how our solar system formed, including if water on Earth came from asteroids.
The mission is planned to last around 10 years, with the samples returning in 2027.
China also plans to send astronauts to the Moon before 2030.
China's Tianwen 2 spacecraft sent back images of Earth and the Moon.
The images were taken on May 30 from a distance of about 590,000 kilometers.
The Tianwen 2 mission launched on May 29 using a Long March-3B rocket.
The mission aims to collect samples from near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 and explore a comet.
The probe is expected to return samples to Earth by November 2027, lasting around 10 years.
- Who
- The China National Space Administration (CNSA).
- What
- Tianwen 2 sent back images of Earth and the Moon from deep space.
- When
- The images were taken on May 30, shortly after the launch on May 29.
- Where
- From space, approximately 590,000 kilometers from Earth.
- Why
- To collect samples and study the early solar system.
- Spacecraft
- Tianwen 2
- Launch Date
- May 29
- Rocket
- Long March-3B
- Image Distance
- 590,000 km
- Mission Goal
- Collect samples from asteroid and comet
- Return Date
- November 2027
- Mission Duration
- Around 10 years