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China’s Tianwen-2 Is About to Launch. Here’s What We Know About Its Target Kamo’oalewa
- China is preparing to launch the Tianwen-2 mission to explore asteroid 469219 Kamo’oalewa and Comet 311P/PanSTARRS in a first-ever asteroid-comet exploration mission.
- A rare quasi-satellite of Earth, asteroid Kamo’oalewa fluctuates between quasi-satellite and horseshoe orbits, potentially posing a future impact risk.
- Researchers suggest Kamo’oalewa may be ejecta from the Moon's Giordano Bruno crater, showing a spectral resemblance to Apollo 14 and Luna 24 soil returns.
- A recent study by the European Space Agency aims to refine Kamo’oalewa's orbit and study the Yarkovsky and YORP effects affecting its rotation.
- Kamo’oalewa's fast rotation poses challenges for sample collection, with an expected return of approximately 100 grams of material on the Tianwen-2 mission.
- Comparison to lunar S-type asteroids suggests Kamo’oalewa may have regolith on its surface, hinting at unexpected features for such fast rotators.
- Tianwen-2's mission timeline includes a rendezvous with Kamo’oalewa in 2026, sample collection, and exploration of periodic comet 311/P PanSTARRS in 2034.
- China's CNSA has embarked on incremental space exploration, with plans for a Mars sample return mission in 2028 following the success of previous missions.
- The launch of Tianwen-2 signifies China's continued advancements in space exploration, aiming to unravel the mysteries of asteroid Kamo’oalewa and beyond.
- The mission's goal is to expand our understanding of asteroid and comet compositions, shedding light on the origins of celestial bodies in our solar system.
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