Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

HISTORICAL FACTS: Cnsa | History Defined

China's Tianwen-2 captures first close-up image of Earth's quasi-moon ahead of historic sample mission

China's Tianwen-2 spacecraft has reached Kamo'oalewa, a temporary quasi-moon of Earth. The mission faces challenges due to the asteroid's small size and fragile structure. Sample collection will be significantly more difficult than initially anticipated by scientists. Successful sample return would make China the third nation to achieve this feat. The…

The Economic Times

China announces plan to build early-warning system for dangerous asteroids

The country's plans include spacecraft designed to detect asteroids coming from the direction of the sun, which has long been a space-rock blind spot.

Space

Secretive Chinese probe snaps first photo of Earth's mysterious 'quasi-moon' — and it may pose a big problem

China's Tianwen-2 spacecraft has captured the first close-up photo of one of Earth's "quasi-moons," Kamo'oalewa. However, the image and the timing of its release suggest that it may be harder for the probe to collect samples from the space rock than originally planned.

LiveScience

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

A secretive Chinese probe has just arrived at one of Earth's 'quasi-moons' and will soon attempt a first-of-its-kind landing

China's Tianwen-2 mission has arrived at the quasi-moon Kamo'oalewa, which orbits the sun alongside Earth. The secretive probe will scoop up samples from our temporary companion to help uncover its mysterious origin, experts say.

LiveScience

Chinese capsule damaged by space-junk strike returns to Earth (video)

The first emergency operation in the history of China's human spaceflight program ended on Jan. 19 when an uncrewed Shenzhou 20 capsule damaged by a space-junk strike came safely down to Earth.

Space

Record launches, reusable rockets and a rescue: China made big strides in space in 2025

China overcomes human spaceflight emergency and makes leaps with lunar hardware tests

Space

3I/ATLAS: First Video Since Vanishing Raises Fears It's 'Breaking Apart'

Astronomers from the Sabadell Institute captured the first sighting of 3I/ATLAS since it vanished behind the Sun in late October.

International Business Times UK

Read news from The Economist, FT, and more,
with one subscription

3I/Atlas China Photo Or Hoax? Leaked Pictures Of Supposed Interstellar Object Shows Mysterious Metallic Sphere

A supposed photo of interstellar object 3I/Atlas went viral online, but China's Tianwen-1 orbiter later confirmed the real image.

International Business Times UK

s3I/ATLAS May Be a Threat - Why NASA Has Not Released New Photos of Interstellar Comet

NASA faces growing calls to release new images of the 3I/ATLAS interstellar comet despite the ongoing government shutdown.

International Business Times UK

China's Tianwen 1 Mars probe captures images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS

China's Tianwen 1 spacecraft has imaged the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS from Mars orbit, contributing to global efforts to study the rare visitor from beyond the solar system.

Space

China reached out to NASA to avoid a potential satellite collision in 1st-of-its-kind space cooperation

A NASA official said that China contacted the U.S. space agency recently to coordinate a satellite maneuver, marking the first time the Chinese side had reached out to its American counterpart.

Space

China's 3I/ATLAS Footage? Experts Baffled As 'Gigantic' Object Has 'No Tail'

Astronomers are intrigued by China's reported 3I/ATLAS footage showing a "gigantic" interstellar object with no visible tail, defying comet norms and fuelling global debate over its mysterious origin.

International Business Times UK

China Beats NASA to Capture and Release First Close-Up Image of Interstellar Object 3I/Atlas

China became the first to capture and publicly release close-up images of interstellar object 3I/Atlas ahead of NASA, revealing distinct comet-like features.

International Business Times UK

China Exposes What NASA Hid? Truth Behind Mysterious 3I/ATLAS Images That Suddenly Went Dark

Rumours claim China exposed NASA's hidden 3I/ATLAS data, but experts say no evidence supports the theory. Here's what really happened to the missing images.

International Business Times UK

Get all your
news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One news app.

Space

China is developing ways to de-orbit space junk. Should we be worried?

As Beijing prepares to tackle space debris, transparency and trust will determine whether the effort is viewed as stewardship or a strategic threat.

Space

Astronauts on the moon and Mars? World space leaders lay out visions for an ambitious future

At a major space congress in Sydney, leaders from NASA, ESA, ISRO, CNSA, and more shared visions for humanity's return to the moon, journeys to Mars and the tech shaping the future of space.

Space

China's Tianwen 2 asteroid-sampling probe snaps gorgeous shots of Earth and the moon (video, photos)

China's Tianwen 2 mission captured stunning views of Earth and the moon from deep space just days after launch.

LiveScience

First-ever image of China's mysterious 'quasi moon' probe revealed weeks after it secretly launched into space

A new image released by China's space agency offers the first glimpse at the Tianwen 2 spacecraft, which is en route to collect samples from one of Earth's "quasi-moons". The photo shows some surprising similarities with a current NASA probe.

Get all your
news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One news app.

Space

China's Tianwen 2 spacecraft sends home 1st photo as it heads for mysterious 'quasi-moon' asteroid

China has revealed the first image from its Tianwen 2 asteroid sample return mission, which is now more than 3 million kilometers (1.9 million miles) from Earth.

The Independent UK

China launches spacecraft to collect samples from asteroid near Mars

China's space agency says the mission aims to ‘yield groundbreaking discoveries’

Euronews

China launches spacecraft it says will collect samples from asteroid near Mars

China earlier returned rock samples from the moon's far side back to Earth in a historic mission and has welcomed international cooperation.

Al Jazeera

China launches landmark mission to retrieve pristine asteroid samples

Chinese state media says the mission aims ‘to shed light on the formation and evolution of asteroids’ and the Earth.

Space

China launches Tianwen 2 mission to snag samples of a near-Earth asteroid (video)

China's Tianwen 2 will attempt to collect asteroid samples, return them to Earth, and then head out to explore a strange, dusty comet.

Motorsport

Dale Jr. pays tribute to neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty after his passing

Dr. Jerry Petty, an esteemed neurosurgeon who treated NASCAR drivers across five decades, has passed away at the age of 90. Among his many achievements, Petty was a founding member of the Carolina NeuroSurgery and Spine Associates (CNSA).

Space

Here's what China launched to orbit on its retrievable satellite last month (video)

China has revealed the payloads it sent to Earth orbit last month on the two-week-long Shijian-19 retrievable satellite mission.

1 2

People

Dale [ Earnhardt ] Jr.

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

Organisations

the South China Morning Post

47 stories

Scientific American

44 stories

Read news from The Economist, FT, and more,
with one subscription

Topics

Places

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.