China’s Tianwen-2 probe sent back images of Earth and moon
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China Releases Pictures Of Earth & Moon Captured By Tiawen-2 Probe From 6 Lakh Km Away
China’s Tianwen-2 probe has sent stunning pictures of the Earth and the Moon. The picture featuring the duo was captured on May 30 when the spacecraft was about 5,90,000 km away. The spacecraft lifted off on a Long March 3B rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center for a close-up investigation of the Kamo’oalewa asteroid. Scientists believe this asteroid was once part of the Moon but got blasted out after a massive impact.
China’s Tianwen-2 probe, which will soon unveil secrets of a near-Earth asteroid, has sent stunning pictures of the Earth and the Moon. Released by China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Tuesday, the picture featuring the duo was captured on May 30 when the spacecraft was about 5,90,000 km away.
According to CNSA, the images were taken using the probe’s narrow-field-of-view navigation sensor which enables it to maintain precise attitude in space and helps it with autonomous navigation.
Earth’s image captured by Tianwen-2. Image: CNSA
Moon’s image captured by Tianwen-2. Image: CNSA
As of July 1, the spacecraft is reportedly operating smoothly and has travelled more than 12 million kilometres since its launch on May 29.
The spacecraft lifted off on a Long March 3B rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center for a close-up investigation of the Kamo’oalewa asteroid. Scientists believe this asteroid was once part of the Moon but got blasted out after a massive impact.
After arriving at its destination in 2026, the probe will investigate the asteroid’s characteristics and scoop up samples that will be delivered to Earth in 2027. Tianwen-2 will then be redirected towards the 311P/PANSTARRS comet to study it, with hopes to find clues about origin of water on Earth. In total, this mission will last for over a decade.
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(Image: CNSA)
China’s Tianwen-2 Probe Captures Stunning New Images of Earth and the Moon
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has unveiled breathtaking images of Earth and the Moon, taken by the Tianwen-2 probe currently orbiting space. These images were released on July 1, 2025, and highlight the performance of the probe’s advanced navigation sensor. The probe, launched in May 2025, is on a decade-long mission designed to explore asteroids and a distant comet in the main asteroid belt. It is currently over 12 million kilometers from Earth, demonstrating its ability to endure the harsh conditions of deep space. Over the next decade, the mission aims to collect samples from asteroid 2016HO3 and conduct detailed studies of comet 311P. The data it gathers will help scientists understand the processes that shaped our solar system, including the materials that formed planets and asteroids. It also adds to the growing body of knowledge about space bodies beyond Earth.
Tianwen-2’s Role in China’s Space Ambitions
The Tianwen-2 mission represents a key part of China’s expanding space exploration efforts. Following the success of its previous missions, Tianwen-2 is now tasked with investigating asteroid 2016HO3, a near-Earth asteroid, and comet 311P, which lies farther than Mars. These objects hold crucial clues about the formation of the solar system. The Tianwen-2 mission is intended to enhance our understanding of these ancient bodies, potentially providing insights into the early solar system’s evolution.
Tianwen-2 was launched on May 29, 2025, and the images released on July 1st demonstrate the probe’s capabilities in both capturing high-resolution images of distant bodies and navigating the vast distances of space. The images of Earth and the Moon, which were captured from a distance of 590,000 kilometers, provide not only scientific data but also serve as a testament to the technological prowess embedded in this mission.
Technology Behind the Captivating Images
The remarkable images of Earth and the Moon were made possible by Tianwen-2’s narrow-field-of-view navigation sensor, a technology designed to capture high-quality visuals even from extreme distances. The sensor’s ability to clearly capture both the Moon and Earth from nearly 600,000 kilometers away shows its effective functional performance. Upon reaching Earth, the images underwent processing and refinement by scientific researchers, highlighting their precision and clarity.
What sets this technology apart is its ability to navigate and capture images even as the probe continues to travel far from Earth. This sensor is crucial for long-term space exploration, especially for future missions that will venture farther into the solar system. The fact that these images were taken after the probe had already traveled over 12 million kilometers from Earth reflects the probe’s operational success, ensuring that future tasks, like asteroid and comet sampling, will also be executed with precision.
Photo of the Moon taken by the Tianwen-2 probe. Image credit: CNSA
Tianwen-2’s Current Status and Future Goals
Currently, Tianwen-2 has been in orbit for over 33 days, and the CNSA has confirmed that it remains in excellent condition. The spacecraft’s current location is over 12 million kilometers from Earth, demonstrating its ability to endure the harsh conditions of deep space. Over the next decade, the mission aims to collect samples from asteroid 2016HO3 and conduct detailed studies of comet 311P.
This mission not only demonstrates China’s space capabilities but also adds to the growing body of knowledge about space bodies beyond Earth. As Tianwen-2 continues its journey, the data it gathers will help scientists understand the processes that shaped our solar system, including the materials that formed planets and asteroids.
The Tianwen-2 mission holds particular significance in the context of China’s broader space ambitions. It is part of a strategic push by the country to become a global leader in space exploration, rivaling established powers like the United States and Russia. With ongoing developments in both robotic and crewed space missions, Tianwen-2 sets the stage for even more ambitious endeavors in the coming years, including potential manned missions to the Moon and Mars.
China’s Tianwen-2 returns Earth, moon images as land team simulates lunar lava cave probe
China releases images of Earth and moon captured by its asteroid-sampling Tianwen-2 spacecraft. The images were taken by the probe’s narrow field-of-view navigation sensor on May 30. The probe was orbiting at a distance of more than 12 million kilometres (7.5 million miles) from Earth.
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The images were taken by the Tianwen-2 spacecraft’s narrow field-of-view navigation sensor on May 30, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), which released them after image processing on the ground.
This comes days after state media reported that researchers in northeastern China were testing autonomous robots in underground lava caves to simulate the terrain these may explore during future lunar missions.
The Tianwen-2 spacecraft has been in orbit since it was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in southwestern China on May 29.
The probe was orbiting at a distance of more than 12 million kilometres (7.5 million miles) from Earth and was in “good working condition”, CNSA said in a news release on its website on Tuesday.
The moon as pictured by the Tianwen-2. Photo: Xinhua
The first image of the Earth was taken when the spacecraft was 590,000km from the planet, and the image of the moon was taken several hours later at a similar distance from the lunar surface.
Tianwen 2 probe sends back pictures of Earth and moon
China’s Tianwen 2 asteroid sampling spacecraft had been on its interplanetary itinerary for over 33 days as of Tuesday morning. The robotic probe was more than 12 million kilometers away from Earth, according to the China National Space Administration. Administration said in a brief news release that the spacecraft is travelling in a transfer trajectory toward its destination, an asteroid called 2016 HO3, and had been in a good condition by that morning. Two pictures taken by the spacecraft’s narrow-field-of-view navigation sensor, showing Earth and the moon when it was about 590,000 km away from our mother planet and themoon, respectively.
China’s Tianwen 2 asteroid sampling spacecraft had been on its interplanetary itinerary for over 33 days as of Tuesday morning, with the robotic probe being more than 12 million kilometers away from Earth, according to the China National Space Administration.
The administration said in a brief news release that the Tianwen 2 spacecraft is travelling in a transfer trajectory toward its destination, an asteroid called 2016 HO3, and had been in a good condition by that morning.
The administration also published two pictures taken by the spacecraft’s narrow-field-of-view navigation sensor, showing Earth and the moon when it was about 590,000 km away from our mother planet and the moon, respectively.
The Tianwen 2, representing China’s first attempt to bring pristine asteroid materials back to Earth, was launched on May 29 by a Long March 3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China’s Sichuan province.
This image released by the China National Space Administration shows a view of the moon captured by the Tianwen 2 probe on May 30, 2025 and post-processed by scientific researchers. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The mission’s primary objective is to reach a small, near-Earth asteroid named 2016 HO3, which is between 40 to 100 meters wide, in the summer of 2026, where it will first study the celestial body up close using a suite of 11 instruments including cameras, spectrometers and radars, before deploying special devices to collect surface substances.
The asteroid, also known as 469219 Kamo’oalewa, orbits the sun, so it remains a constant companion of Earth. It is too distant to be considered a true satellite of Earth, but it is the best and most stable example to date of a quasi-satellite.
After the collection work is done, the Tianwen 2 probe is programmed to fly back to Earth’s orbit to send a capsule containing the precious samples back to the ground. The samples will be distributed to scientists, who will examine their physical properties, chemical and mineralogical content and isotopic composition, contributing to studies on the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system.
Delivering samples to Earth will not be the end of the mission. The spacecraft will then enter the second phase of its mission: flying toward a main-belt comet called 311P to make a remote-sensing survey and transmit the data back to Earth for scientific research, according to the CNSA.
The Tianwen 2 mission is expected to yield groundbreaking discoveries and expand humanity’s understanding of small celestial bodies inside the solar system and our mother planet, scientists said.
China’s Tianwen 2 Sends Stunning Images Of Earth And Moon From Deep Space: See Pics
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) released images of Earth and the moon on Tuesday, taken by the Tianwen 2 spacecraft. The probe was launched on May 29 using a Long March-3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan. The mission aims to collect samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 (or 469219 Kamo’oalewa) and explore the main-belt comet 311P. If successful, the probe would also provide insights into the origins of water on Earth.
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See images here:
33 days following launch, #Tianwen2 is passing 12 million km distance from Earth. CNSA released photos of the Earth and Moon taken by ANAC (窄视场导航敏感器 / Asteroid Narrow Angle Camera) when the spacecraft was 590K km from each body.https://t.co/hJnaVjpfN5 pic.twitter.com/Qwx0ODiGQg — WLR2678🌌 (@WLR_2678) July 1, 2025
Currently, the probe is reportedly around 12 million kilometres away from Earth. It has spent more than 33 days in space so far. The mission aims to collect samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016 HO3 (or 469219 Kamo’oalewa) and explore the main-belt comet 311P, which would help provide insights into the early solar system’s formation and evolution.
As per the report, the space agency published the stunning pictures, taken by the spacecraft’s narrow-field-of-view navigation sensor, when it was about 590,000 kilometres away from the Blue Planet.
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What is the future of the Tianwen 2 mission?
The mission is expected to return samples to Earth by November 2027, with the probe collecting between 0.2 and 1 kilogram of soil from the asteroid.
The Tianwen-2 mission is planned to last around 10 years. During the given period, the probe would visit the asteroid and comet, and return samples to Earth.
The mission will help scientists understand the composition, formation, and evolutionary history of the solar system’s early materials. If successful, the probe would also provide insights into the origins of water on Earth.
China has several important missions planned for the coming years. Beijing plans to send Chinese astronauts to the Moon before 2030 and establish a permanent base there, as part of its ambitious “space dream” under Xi Jinping’s leadership.