# China's Tianwen-2 spacecraft arrived at Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, southwest China, Feb.

*aerospace · news · 2025-02-20 · SpaceNews*

## Key points

- Tianwen-2's spacecraft has arrived at Xichang Satellite Launch Center for pre-launch preparations.
- CNSA now ambiguously schedules the launch for the first half of 2024, previously slated for May 2025.
- Tianwen-2 will use both a TAG method and an anchor-and-attach system for asteroid sampling.
- After returning samples, Tianwen-2 will use Earth's gravity to continue to main-belt comet 311P/PANSTARRS.
- Russia's Space Research Institute contributed particle detectors to Tianwen-2's scientific payload.

**Companies:** China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
**Countries:** China, Russia

[Read the full story on SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/china-readies-tianwen-2-asteroid-sample-return-spacecraft-for-launch/)

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