CASC Long March 3B/E Tianwen-2
Long March 3B/E
Status
Success
Date
28 MAY 2025
17:31
Launch Provider
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
Launch Pad
Launch Complex 2 (LC-2)
Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China
Mission Overview
Tianwen-2 is a planned Chinese asteroid sample return and comet orbiter mission due for launch in May 2025. The spacecraft will visit the Near Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3), collecting samples from its surface using both touch-and-go and anchor-and-drill approaches. It will return the samples back to Earth around 2.5 years after launch, with the main spacecraft proceeding to visit the main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS in the mid-2030s.
Rocket
Long March 3B/E
Mission Type
Planetary Science
Orbit
Asteroid
Stages
3
Livestream
Not availableRocket Details
The Long March 3B / E (G2) (CZ-3B / E) is one of the most successful medium-range launchers and the strongest variant of the CZ-3 series. It was specially developed for the transport of heavy communications satellites into a geostationary transfer orbit. The additional designation "E" stands for a higher payload fairing, stretched boosters and extended fuel tanks at the first stage, over the CZ-3B.
Height
56.3 m
Diameter
3.35 m
Launch Mass
456 T
Thrust
5,924 kN