In an exciting development in space exploration, China has unveiled the very first image of its Tianwen 2 mission, which is currently en route to a near-Earth asteroid.

Launched on May 28 aboard a Long March 3B rocket, Tianwen 2 is on a thrilling quest to rendezvous with the enigmatic asteroid Kamo'oalewa, one of Earth's seven recognized "quasi-moons." A recent update from the China National Space Administration (CNSA) confirms that the mission is progressing smoothly, with the spacecraft now over 3 million kilometers (1.86 million miles) from Earth.

In a statement released on June 6, CNSA shared an image captured by an engineering camera on board. The photo provides a rare look at one of Tianwen 2's circular solar panels, which bear a striking resemblance to those used in NASA's Lucy mission targeting the Trojan asteroids near Jupiter.

This photo marks a significant milestone for the mission, as it’s the first real photographic evidence shared with the public; prior to this, only artistic renderings had surfaced.

Tianwen 2 is on track to arrive at Kamo'oalewa in July 2026. The spacecraft will engage in a series of engine burns to refine its orbit before studying the asteroid for several months. Scientists speculate that Kamo'oalewa may be a fragment of the moon, ejected by a colossal impact event.

Once the samples are collected, Tianwen 2 plans to return to Earth with its findings in late 2027. The mission will also employ our planet's gravity for a slingshot maneuver, setting a course to meet main belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS by around 2035.

By exploring both an asteroid and a comet, this mission aims to unravel critical data about the composition and nature of these celestial bodies, shedding light on profound questions regarding the solar system's evolution and the origins of water on Earth.

It's worth noting that this isn't China's first venture into asteroid exploration. The Chang'e 2 lunar orbiter executed a flyby of the asteroid Toutatis back in 2012, showcasing China's budding prowess in deep space missions. Additionally, with past successful sample-return operations from the moon via the Chang'e 5 mission in 2020 and the upcoming Chang'e 6 mission, which targets the moon's far side in 2024, China's ambitions in space are expanding rapidly.