Tianwen-2 probe operating smoothly in orbit: CNSA

China's Tianwen-2 probe, atop a Long March-3B carrier rocket, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan province, May 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

As of Friday morning, the Tianwen-2 probe had been operating smoothly in orbit for over eight days, reaching a distance of more than 3 million kilometers from Earth, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA) Friday.

The CNSA also released an image captured by the probe, showing one unfolded solar panel.

China launched its first asteroid sample-return mission, Tianwen-2, on May 29, an endeavour to shed light on the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system.

The Tianwen-2 mission aims to achieve multiple goals over a decade-long expedition: collecting samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3 and exploring the main-belt comet 311P, which is more distant than Mars.

To meet the power demands during the deep-space voyage, the Tianwen-2 probe is equipped with circular, flexible solar panels.