China’s Tianwen-2 Orbits Kamoʻoalewa After 13-Month Cruise as Study Challenges Moon-Origin Theory
Updated
Updated · spacedaily.com · Jun 15
China’s Tianwen-2 Orbits Kamoʻoalewa After 13-Month Cruise as Study Challenges Moon-Origin Theory
3 articles · Updated · spacedaily.com · Jun 15
Summary
Around June 7, Tianwen-2 entered orbit around Kamoʻoalewa, a 40-to-100-meter quasi-satellite of Earth, with sample collection expected within weeks after independent radio astronomers tracked the maneuver.
A new Nature Communications study argues the asteroid is probably not lunar debris but a weathered LL chondrite from the Flora family, delivered from the inner asteroid belt through the ν6 resonance.
At the center of that challenge is a 1.001-micrometer absorption feature and lab tests showing laser-weathered chondrite powder—not solid chips—can reproduce Kamoʻoalewa’s lunar-like red spectrum.
The lunar-origin case remains alive because earlier studies tied the spectrum to Moon-like silicates and even proposed ejecta from the Giordano Bruno crater on the Moon’s far side.
Tianwen-2’s returned sample, due back toward Earth in 2027, could settle the dispute with isotope and mineral tests that telescopes cannot perform.
Is Earth's mysterious quasi-satellite a lost piece of our Moon or a disguised asteroid?
How can space weathering make a common asteroid look exactly like a lunar fragment?
Tianwen-2 Targets Kamoʻoalewa: China’s 2026 Asteroid Sample Return Mission and the Quest to Determine Its Lunar or Asteroidal Nature
Overview
As of June 2026, China's Tianwen-2 mission is making significant progress after its 2025 launch, as outlined in the national space white paper and prioritized by its main space contractor. The spacecraft is now approaching the near-Earth asteroid Kamoʻoalewa, aiming to orbit, sample, and return material from this small, fast-rotating body. This mission marks a major leap in deep-space exploration by combining advanced technical solutions with strong public engagement, setting the stage for new discoveries about the origins of Kamoʻoalewa and advancing China's expertise in planetary science.