China's Tianwen-2 spacecraft is expected to reach what near-Earth asteroid in July 2026?

China's ambitious Tianwen-2 spacecraft is on a journey to explore a fascinating celestial body, a near-Earth asteroid known as Kamoʻoalewa. This mission, launched in May 2025, is expected to reach its primary target in July 2026. Kamoʻoalewa is particularly intriguing because it is a "quasi-satellite" of Earth, meaning it orbits the Sun but stays relatively close to our planet, appearing to "wobble" around it.

Discovered in 2016, Kamoʻoalewa is a small object, estimated to be between 40 and 100 meters across, and it rotates rapidly, completing a full spin every 28 minutes. Scientists are especially keen to study it because spectral analysis suggests it might be a fragment of our Moon, possibly ejected during an ancient impact event. If confirmed, this would offer a unique opportunity to study lunar material directly without undertaking a more complex Moon landing.

The Tianwen-2 mission's main goal is to collect samples from Kamoʻoalewa and return them to Earth in 2027, making China only the third nation to achieve an asteroid sample return. After delivering these precious samples, the spacecraft will continue its decade-long journey to a second destination: the main-belt comet 311P/PanSTARRS. This dual mission promises to provide invaluable insights into the early solar system, asteroid composition, and potentially the origins of water on Earth.