An Epic Journey to Earth's 'Minimoon'

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has achieved a historic milestone in space exploration. The Tianwen-2 probe, launched on May 29, 2025 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, has sent the first detailed image of asteroid 2016HO3, also known as Kamo'oalewa, our enigmatic 'minimoon'.

According to media reports such as Clarín and Deutsche Welle, the spacecraft traveled approximately 1 billion kilometers over about 400 days (13 months) to reach its destination. On July 2, 2026, the probe positioned itself just 20 kilometers from the asteroid, allowing it to capture this historic photograph.

The Enigma of Kamo'oalewa

With an estimated diameter of between 40 and 100 meters, it could be the smallest asteroid ever visited by a spacecraft. It belongs to the Apollo class of asteroids, which share Earth's orbit around the Sun, but Kamo'oalewa remains close to our planet for long periods.

The goal of the Tianwen-2 mission is to observe the rock in orbit and collect samples to bring them back to Earth, hoping to return them by the end of 2027. Scientists seek to answer fundamental questions:

• Is it a pile of rubble or a monolithic body?
• Are there traces of water in its composition?
• Is it really a fragment of the Moon, as some experts deduce from telescopic observations?
• How did its orbit evolve and what impact does the solar wind have on it?

This breakthrough underscores the continued growth of the Chinese space program, which includes projects like the Tiangong space station, the Chang'e lunar program, and preparations for a crewed moon landing before 2030, opening new doors to understanding our solar system.