← All launches
Launch SuccessfulChina Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Long March 3B/E: Tianwen-2

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.

Wednesday, 28 May 202517:31 UTC
Long March 3B/E: Tianwen-2

Mission Data

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
🇨🇳China Aerospace Science and Technology CorporationEst. 1999
Launch VehicleLong March 3B/E
Vehicle FamilyLong March
Vehicle Record76 of 78 launches (97.4%)
Provider TypeGovernment
Agency Record606 successes / 16 failures (97%)
Success Streak13 consecutive
Mission TypePlanetary Science
Target OrbitAsteroid
Launch PadLaunch Complex 2 (LC-2)
Location🇨🇳 Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China CHN
Orbital Launches This Year#118
Agency Launches This Year#24
Launches From This Pad126
Launches From This Site243
Status Note

The launch vehicle successfully inserted its payload(s) into the target orbit(s).

About Long March 3B/E

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.

Launch updates

  1. Launch success.

    Source ↗
  2. Liftoff.

  3. Added launch window.

    Source ↗
  4. NET May 28 UTC. (Launch pad is per https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/f8ojaDIp7LsRK8hPfpfLwg)

    Source ↗
  5. Added launch.

    Source ↗

Launch Site

Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) · 28.2455°N 102.0268°E

Launch data from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs.