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Snapshot 6:Thu, May 29, 2025 3:18:14 PM GMT last edited by Nick

China Launches Asteroid Sample Return Mission

China Launches Asteroid Sample Return Mission

Above: The Long March-7A carrier rocket carrying ChinaSat 3B satellite blasts off from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on May 20, 2025 in Wenchang, Hainan Province of China. Image copyright: Luo Yunfei/Contributor/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images

The Spin

China's Tianwen-2 marks a staggering leap in deep-space exploration — precise, bold, and visionary. From Mars to asteroids, China now leads with systemicambition maturity and missiontechnical ambitionprowess. If humanity is to thrive beyond Earth, the U.S. and its allies must set aside rivalry and reawaken the spirit of Apollo-Soyuz. The cosmos demands collaboration, not coldCold warWar repetition.

China's breakneck advances in space — the asteroid probe and sampling mission being its latest — should alarm the West. Behind the façadefacade of exploration lies a state-driven machine weaponizing space, outpacing the U.S. in ambition. With counterspacecounter-space weapons, lunar ambitions, and militarized policy, Beijing is not in a race — it's preparing for dominance. The U.S. must wake up.

ThereChina's isTianwen-2 marks a 32%staggering chanceleap Chinain willdeep-space landexploration the nextprecise, personbold, onand thevisionary. MoonFrom Mars to asteroids, accordingChina now leads with ambition and technical prowess. If humanity is to thrive beyond Earth, the MetaculusU.S. predictionand communityits allies must set aside rivalry and reawaken the spirit of Apollo-Soyuz. The cosmos demands collaboration, not Cold War repetition.

China's breakneck advances in space — the asteroid probe and sampling mission being its latest — should alarm the West. Behind the facade of exploration lies a state-driven machine weaponizing space, outpacing the U.S. With counter-space weapons, lunar ambitions, and militarized policy, Beijing is not in a race — it's preparing for dominance. The U.S. must wake up.

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 32% chance China will land the next person on the Moon, according to the Metaculus prediction community.


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