China Unveils First Image of Earth's Rare 'Quasi-moon' Kamo'oalewa

WHO:

Space.com - China's Tianwen-2 probe is operated by the China National Space Administration.

NDTV - Physicist Rongqiao Zhang is associated with the Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center.

WHAT:

Space.com - The Tianwen-2 probe captured a photo of asteroid 2016HO3, also known as quasi-moon Kamo'oalewa.

NDTV - The Tianwen-2 spacecraft captured the first-ever close-up image of Kamo'oalewa after completing a 13-month journey of nearly one billion kilometers from Earth.

NDTV - The image reveals Kamo'oalewa's irregular shape and rugged surface, providing scientists with their first detailed look at the asteroid.

NDTV - Kamo'oalewa is estimated to be between 40 and 100 meters wide.

WHERE:

NDTV - The Tianwen-2 spacecraft is operated by the China National Space Administration.

WHEN:

NDTV - Tianwen-2 was launched on May 29, 2025.

NDTV - The asteroid was first spotted on June 6.

NDTV - By July 2, the spacecraft was just 20 kilometers away from Kamo'oalewa.

WHY:

NDTV - The mission aims to study the asteroid up close, identify a suitable landing site, and collect rock samples for return to Earth.

NDTV - Scientists hope the samples will answer questions about Kamo'oalewa's origin, as it may be a fragment of Earth's Moon.

HOW:

NDTV - The Tianwen-2 spacecraft will study Kamo'oalewa and collect samples as part of its mission objectives.

NDTV - Kamo'oalewa is classified as a quasi-satellite, which travels around the Sun while remaining gravitationally linked to Earth.

(UPDATED July 7, 2026 17:45 UTC)

China's Tianwen-2 probe, operated by the China National Space Administration, has successfully captured its first close-up image of the asteroid Kamo'oalewa, also known as quasi-moon 2016HO3, after a remarkable 13-month journey of nearly one billion kilometers from Earth. The image reveals Kamo'oalewa's irregular shape and rugged surface, providing scientists with their first detailed look at the asteroid, which is estimated to be between 40 and 100 meters wide. This mission aims to study the asteroid up close, identify a suitable landing site, and collect rock samples for return to Earth, as scientists hope these samples will shed light on Kamo'oalewa's origin, potentially linking it to Earth's Moon.