Photo is courtesy of Xinhua.
China successfully launched its first asteroid sample-return mission, Tianwen 2, in the early hours of Thursday, May 29th.
This mission is designed to shed light on the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system and marks the 578th launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
The Long March 3B rocket, which serves as the primary vehicle for China’s high-orbit launches, holds the record for the highest number of launches in the country, having completed 108 missions, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
This rocket has previously been involved in lunar exploration projects, such as the Chang’e 3 and Chang’e 4 missions.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the rocket developer, noted that the Tianwen 2 mission, however, marks the first time the Long March-3B rocket series has been used for a launch to escape Earth’s orbit.
To read the entire article, please access this direct China Daily News infosite link…