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Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
What is China really doing in space? Mysterious satellite maneuver stuns experts
China's activities in space have recently taken a quiet but significant turn, which might be a sign of a major evolution in how we think about satellite operations. In today's world, technology, sustainability, and national security are intertwined with one another. Such missions seem to explore the possibilities far above Earth. Recent movements by China in geostationary orbit are being closely watched by the space community, which has posted the observations on its official X handle. On January 6, 2025, a Long March 3B rocket launched from Xichang carried Shijian‑25 into geostationary transfer orbit. Built by Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), it's officially tasked with 'satellite fuel replenishment and life extension service technology verification,' reported Shijian-21 was launched in October 2021 on a Long March 3B rocket. Its mission was to dock with an old, no longer working satellite called Beidou-2 G2 and move it to a safe, out-of-the-way orbit above the regular geostationary satellites. This 'graveyard orbit' helps keep space clear and prevents collisions with active satellites. Both these Chinese satellites made a close approach in June Ground‑based tracking by S2A Systems detected Shijian‑21 and ‑25 converging in GEO during mid‑June. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 4BHK+Family Lounge+Utility room at 4.49Cr (All Incl)* ATS Triumph, Gurgaon Book Now Undo On June 14, they were 'virtually unresolvable from the other,' indicating a close rendezvous, which is likely expected to be a docking test, as reported by Observations also noted earlier manoeuvres on June 13 and 14, and an expected rendezvous around June 11 based on their orbital trajectories. How can this test be useful? Refuelling and servicing satellites in GEO could drastically extend their service life, reduce space debris, and lower launch demands. Shijian‑25 was intended to rendezvous with Shijian‑21 because they are in a phased orbit, which means sharing orbital elements but staggered in longitude, which can result in lowering the fuel needed for proximity operations. Although this mission is described as a civilian technology test, the close movements of the satellites have raised some concerns. According to COMSPOC OPS on social media, two US satellites, called USA 270 and USA 271, are nearby, probably keeping an eye on the Chinese satellites. COMSPOC explained, 'USA 270 and 271 now flank SJ-21 and SJ-25 from the east and west—potentially enabling favorable sun angles depending on the timing of closest approach. ' According to COMSPOC, the ongoing activity between China's Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 satellites is unfolding in a particularly busy and sensitive area of geostationary orbit (GEO). COMSPOC also stated clearly, 'While these U.S. assets aren't directly involved, their proximity adds complexity to the local SSA picture — and raises strategic awareness concerns.' In other words, even if there's no direct interaction, just being close in such a critical orbital region makes the dynamics more complicated and potentially riskier.
WIRED
13-06-2025
- Science
- WIRED
This Chinese Spacecraft Is Traveling to One of Earth's Quasi-Moons
Jun 13, 2025 5:00 AM The Tianwen-2 probe has sent a self-portrait as it heads toward one of the most enigmatic objects in our space neighborhood: the quasi-moon Kamo'oalewa. Tianwen 2's camera captured the solar wing in its fully deployed position. Photograph: China National Space Administration (CNSA) All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. The China National Space Administration has shared the first image from its Tianwen-2 probe, which is en route to Kamo'oalewa, a near-Earth asteroid. The image was captured by a camera onboard the probe, which is currently more than 3 million kilometers from Earth, and shows one of its wings with its solar panels deployed. It is also the first glimpse the CNSA has offered of its space probe, which launched on May 29 on a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Zeyuan Town, China. The design of Tianwen-2's panels is similar in appearance to those on Lucy, NASA's space probe that is exploring asteroids floating near Jupiter. These serve to meet the power demands required for the trip. Tianwen-2's mission is to land on the surface of Kamo'oalewa, collect samples, and return to Earth. The spacecraft is scheduled to land on the asteroid's surface in July 2026. Before then, it will spend several months studying Kamo'oalewa from a safe distance, to determine its sampling area, before proceeding with landing maneuvers, a particularly difficult task given the asteroid's low gravity. Once the samples have been collected, Tianwen-2 will travel back to Earth and send its samples down to the surface in a capsule, before then attempting to use Earth's gravity as a slingshot to head toward 311P/PanSTARRS, an unusual-looking asteroid beyond Mars that has some of the characteristics of a comet, including visible tails. Tianwen-2 is expected to conduct this mission until 2035. The Enigma of the Hawaiian Quasi-Moon Kamo'oalewa is one of Earth's seven known quasi-moons—objects that appear to be orbiting our planet, but which aren't actually gravitationally bound to Earth, and are actually asteroids circling the sun in an orbit similar to Earth's. Discovered in 2016 by astronomers at the Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii, Kamo'oalewa—whose name means 'oscillating celestial object' in Hawaiian—is located approximately 4.65 million kilometers from our planet, 12 times further away from Earth than the moon. Kamo'oalewa is estimated to be roughly 40 to 100 meters in diameter, has maintained its current orbit for 100 years, and will probably maintain it for 300 more. It's hoped that Tianwen-2 can solve the mystery of Kamo'oalewa's origin. One theory is that it's a chunk of rock that broke off from the moon millions of years ago. The sampling mission will help multiple scientific investigations into the composition of rocky celestial bodies, as well as aid scientists in the search for clues about the formation of the solar system. Observational evidence and modeling suggest that Kamo'oalewa has been orbiting the sun for millions of years, albeit with an unstable trajectory. A direct exploration of this asteroid could, in addition, expand knowledge about nearby celestial objects that might potentially pose a threat to Earth. This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
China's mysterious ‘quasi moon' probe, first-ever image revealed
Source: Live Science Chinese officials have unveiled the first image of their highly secretive Tianwen 2 spacecraft just two weeks after its launch. The spacecraft is on a mission to collect samples from a quasi-moon, marking a significant step in China's space exploration efforts. Interestingly, Tianwen 2 bears striking similarities to a current NASA spacecraft, raising curiosity about the design and technology choices. This early glimpse offers a rare look into China's ambitious plans and advanced space capabilities as they push forward in their quest to explore and study celestial bodies beyond Earth. First image of 'quasi moon' captured by Tianwen spacecraft on May 29 Much of the Tianwen 2 mission's development and objectives have been shrouded in secrecy. The launch, scheduled for May 29, was not livestreamed by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), which announced the successful lift-off about an hour after it happened. According to LiveScience, the Tianwen 2 probe was successfully launched into space onboard a Long March 3B rocket, which took off from the Xichang spaceport in southwestern China at around 1:31 a.m. local time. In July 2026, the Tianwen 2 spacecraft will approach Kamo'oalewa , a small asteroid about the size of a Ferris wheel, and attempt to land and collect samples. Kamo'oalewa, meaning 'oscillating celestial object' in Hawaiian, is a quasi-satellite that orbits the Sun alongside Earth but isn't gravitationally tied to our planet — it will eventually drift away. On Friday, June 6, CNSA released the first picture of one of the probe's 10-sided solar panels extending out into the void of space. The release also included a statement revealing that the probe is functioning as planned and is already around 1.9 million miles (3 million kilometers) from Earth — about eight times farther away than the Moon. Know about the quasi-moon Kamo'oalewa, measuring between 40 and 100 meters wide, maintains a distance of at least 4.6 million kilometres from Earth. This satellite completes a circuit around our planet roughly every 45 years. Scientists think that Kamo'oalewa originated from the Moon, potentially ejected into space after a meteor impact millions of years ago, and now orbits the Sun in tandem with Earth. Earth has six other quasi-moons, which all orbit the Sun alongside our planet but are not permanently bound to us. These space rocks are usually referred to as 'minimoons' — a term typically reserved for objects that temporarily orbit our planet at much closer distances for shorter periods, usually less than a year. Astronomers believe there are numerous other quasi-moons and minimoons around Earth yet to be discovered. Research also suggests Venus might have similar co-orbitals, potentially posing a future threat to Earth if gravitational forces pull them our way. Also read: 100-million-year-old dinosaur eggs recovered in Jurassic America
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
First-ever image of China's mysterious 'quasi moon' probe revealed weeks after it secretly launched into space
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Chinese officials have revealed the first-ever photo of the country's highly secretive Tianwen 2 spacecraft, two weeks after it was launched into space. The elusive probe, which bears a striking resemblance to a current NASA spacecraft, will attempt to collect samples from one of Earth's mysterious "quasi-moons" next year. On May 29, the Tianwen 2 probe was successfully launched into space onboard a Long March 3B rocket, which took off from the Xichang spaceport in southwestern China at around 1:31 a.m. local time, Live Science's sister site previously reported. The spacecraft is scheduled to make a close approach to the asteroid 2016 HO3, better known as Kamo'oalewa, in July 2026, when it will attempt to land on the ferris wheel-size space rock and collect samples that will later be returned to Earth. Kamo'oalewa, which translates to "oscillating celestial object" in Hawaiian, is a quasi-satellite of Earth, meaning it orbits the sun alongside Earth and circles our planet, but is not gravitationally bound to it and will one day float away. The Tianwen 2 mission has been kept closely under wraps. The launch was not livestreamed by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), which announced the successful liftoff around an hour after it happened. Until now, the probe had never been photographed — all we knew about its appearance came from some rather basic artistic renderings released after launch, according to But on Friday (June 6), CNSA released a statement revealing that the probe is functioning as planned and is already around 1.9 million miles (3 million kilometers) from Earth — around eight times further away than the moon. The release also included a surprise first picture of one of the probe's 10-sided solar panels stretching out into the void of space. Related: Undiscovered extra moons may orbit Earth. Could they help us become an interplanetary species? The new photo hints that the Tianwen 2 probe likely looks similar to the spacecraft used in NASA's Lucy mission, which also sports decagonal solar panels and is currently en-route to the "Trojan asteroids" surrounding Jupiter. It also looks very different from the Tianwen 1 spacecraft, which carried China's Zhurong Mars rover to the Red Planet in 2021 — and had rectangular solar panels. (Tianwen roughly translates to "Questions to Heaven.") If Tianwen 2 successfully makes it to Kamo'oalewa and collects its desired samples, it is due to drop the asteroid fragments back to Earth during a close flyby in late 2027. The samples will then hopefully be retrieved from a return module, similar to the OSIRIS-Rex samples that landed in the Utah desert in September 2023. After that, the spacecraft will begin its secondary mission to visit 311P/PanSTARRS, a comet-asteroid "hybrid" located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, by around 2035. Kamo'oalewa is somewhere between 130 and 330 feet (40 to 100 meters) wide and has a minimum distance of 2.9 million miles (4.6 million km) from Earth. It circles our planet every 45 years or so and is believed to be a chunk of Earth's proper moon that was ejected during a meteor strike millions of years ago. Earth has six other quasi-moons, which all orbit the sun alongside our planet but are not permanently fixed to us. These space rocks are sometimes referred to as "minimoons." However, this term is usually reserved for objects that temporarily orbit our planet at much closer distances for short periods, usually less than a year. RELATED STORIES —China has launched a secret robot to the far side of the moon, new Chang'e 6 photos reveal —Giant 'white streak' appears over multiple US states as Chinese rocket dumps experimental fuel in space —China's secretive new 'Thousands Sails' satellites are an astronomer's nightmare, 1st observations reveal One such minimoon was the asteroid 2024 PT5, which was first discovered in September 2024 and orbited Earth for around three months. Astronomers suspect that there are likely many more quasi-moons and minimoons around Earth waiting to be found. Recent research has also hinted that there may be similar "co-orbitals" hidden around Venus, which could one day pose a threat to Earth if they are wrestled away by our planet's gravity.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Sampling a 'quasi-moon': What's next for China's newly launched Tianwen 2 asteroid-sampling mission
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. China's latest deep-space mission is underway. The Tianwen 2 asteroid-comet probe lifted off on Tuesday (May 28), riding into the final frontier atop a Long March 3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwestern China. Tianwen 2 marks another step forward in China's ever-advancing, ever-ambitious robotic exploration program. Here's a brief rundown of what the spacecraft will do over the next few years, and what milestones it will achieve for China. Tianwen 2 is headed for Kamo'oalewa (also known as 2016 HO3), a near-Earth asteroid (NEA) discovered in 2016 that's between 100 and 330 feet (40 and 100 meters) wide. Kamo'oalewa is no ordinary space rock; it's a "quasi-moon" of Earth, meaning it circles the sun on a path that keeps it close to our planet. Earth has seven known quasi-satellites, including Cardea, which was recently named via a contest organized by the International Astronomical Union and the science podcast Radiolab. Kamo'oalewa is among the most interesting of these cosmic fellow travelers. Unlike most NEAs, it doesn't appear to have come from the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter; rather, astronomers think it's a chunk of the moon that was blasted out by a giant impact within the past 10 million years. Analysis of the space rock could confirm that theory; it could also shed light on the evolution of the solar system. Tianwen 2 will deliver some of this key data, if all goes according to plan. The probe is expected to reach Kamo'oalewa in July of 2026. It will perform up-close observations with a variety of science gear, including cameras, spectrometers, a magnetometer and a dust analyzer. This work will reveal insights about the quasi-moon and help the team select a suitable sampling site. The probe will then swoop down to collect about 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of material from the space rock, apparently using two different methods: "touch and go" and "anchor and attach." The latter approach, which requires the use of one or more drills, has never been tried before, but touch and go is tried and true; NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe and Japan's Hayabusa2 used it to snag samples of the asteroids Bennu and Ryugu, respectively. Tianwen 2 will depart Kamo'oalewa in April 2027, hauling the space rock samples back to Earth. A capsule containing this precious material will land here about seven months later, but the mothership will fly on. Tianwen 2 will get a "gravity assist" from the Earth return, thanks to which it'll slingshot around our planet on its way to its second destination — the comet 311P/PANSTARRS, which resides in the asteroid belt. 311P/PANSTARRS, also known as P/2013 P5, was discovered in 2013 by astronomers using the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawaii. Like Kamo'oalewa, 311P/PANSTARRS is something of an oddball; it has both asteroid and comet features and is therefore sometimes categorized as an "active asteroid." For example, the 1,570-foot-wide (480-meter-wide) 311P/PANSTARRS sports six dust tails, perhaps because it's spinning fast enough to fling considerable amounts of its surface material into space. Tianwen 2 will arrive in orbit around the comet in 2035, then measure the target using its onboard instrument suite (all from afar; Tianwen-2 will not land on or sample 311P/PANSTARRS). The probe's data could reveal insights about active asteroids and comets in general, and also help establish which type of small body is largely responsible for delivering water to Earth billions of years ago. Related stories: — China to launch Tianwen 2 asteroid-sampling mission in 2025 — Earth's weird 'quasi-moon' Kamo'oalewa is a fragment blasted out of big moon crater — Tianwen 1: China's first Mars mission Tianwen 2 is China's first-ever mission to an asteroid or a comet, and just its second planetary exploration effort overall. The first, Tianwen 1, sent an orbiter and a rover to Mars in 2020. More of these missions are coming; China aims to launch the Tianwen 3 Mars sample-return mission in 2028 and Tianwen 4, a joint Jupiter-Uranus project, two years later. In fact, Tianwen 2 isn't China's first sample-return mission; the nation has pulled off two already. Chang'e 5 hauled material from the moon's nearside to Earth in December 2020, and Chang'e 6 returned the first-ever samples from the lunar farside in June 2024.
