A promising view to the Moon: Anticipations for Tianwen-2 samples returned from Kamo’oalewa
The exploration of asteroids has received increasing attention since the 1990s because of the unique information these objects contain about the history of the early solar system. Quasi-satellites are a population of asteroids that co-orbit closely with, but are outside the gravitational control of,...
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Science Press
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Earth and Planetary Physics |
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| Online Access: | http://www.eppcgs.org/article/doi/10.26464/epp2025015?pageType=en |
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| author | WenZhe Li Yong Wei Jian-Yang Li Wei Yang |
| author_facet | WenZhe Li Yong Wei Jian-Yang Li Wei Yang |
| author_sort | WenZhe Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The exploration of asteroids has received increasing attention since the 1990s because of the unique information these objects contain about the history of the early solar system. Quasi-satellites are a population of asteroids that co-orbit closely with, but are outside the gravitational control of, the planet. So far, only five Earth quasi-satellites have been recognized, among which (469219) Kamo’oalewa (provisionally designated as 2016 HO3) is currently considered the most stable and the closest of these. However, little is known about this particular asteroid or this class of near-Earth asteroids because of the difficulties of observing them. China has announced that Tianwen-2, the asteroid sample-return mission to Kamo’oalewa, will be launched in 2025. Here, we review the current knowledge of Kamo’oalewa in terms of its physical characteristics, dynamic evolution, surface environment, and origin, and we propose possible breakthroughs that the samples could bring concerning the asteroid Kamo’oalewa as an Earth quasi-satellite. Confirming the origin of Kamo’oalewa, from its prevailing provenance as debris of the Moon, could be a promising start to inferring the evolutionary history of the Moon. This history would probably include a more comprehensive view of the lunar farside and the origin of the asymmetry between the two sides of the Moon. Comparing the samples from the Moon and Kamo’oalewa would also provide new insights into the Earth wind. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4285ffeecee14a4f9250cdfd6ce5d9d6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2096-3955 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Science Press |
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| series | Earth and Planetary Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-4285ffeecee14a4f9250cdfd6ce5d9d62025-08-20T03:28:29ZengScience PressEarth and Planetary Physics2096-39552025-07-019478278810.26464/epp2025015PE519-liwenze-FA promising view to the Moon: Anticipations for Tianwen-2 samples returned from Kamo’oalewaWenZhe Li0Yong Wei1Jian-Yang Li2Wei Yang3Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, ChinaKey Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, ChinaPlanetary Environmental and Astrobiological Research Laboratory (PEARL), School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai Guangdong 519082, ChinaKey Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, ChinaThe exploration of asteroids has received increasing attention since the 1990s because of the unique information these objects contain about the history of the early solar system. Quasi-satellites are a population of asteroids that co-orbit closely with, but are outside the gravitational control of, the planet. So far, only five Earth quasi-satellites have been recognized, among which (469219) Kamo’oalewa (provisionally designated as 2016 HO3) is currently considered the most stable and the closest of these. However, little is known about this particular asteroid or this class of near-Earth asteroids because of the difficulties of observing them. China has announced that Tianwen-2, the asteroid sample-return mission to Kamo’oalewa, will be launched in 2025. Here, we review the current knowledge of Kamo’oalewa in terms of its physical characteristics, dynamic evolution, surface environment, and origin, and we propose possible breakthroughs that the samples could bring concerning the asteroid Kamo’oalewa as an Earth quasi-satellite. Confirming the origin of Kamo’oalewa, from its prevailing provenance as debris of the Moon, could be a promising start to inferring the evolutionary history of the Moon. This history would probably include a more comprehensive view of the lunar farside and the origin of the asymmetry between the two sides of the Moon. Comparing the samples from the Moon and Kamo’oalewa would also provide new insights into the Earth wind.http://www.eppcgs.org/article/doi/10.26464/epp2025015?pageType=entianwen-2kamo’oalewa (2016 ho3)returned samplesevolutionary history of the moonthe earth–moon system |
| spellingShingle | WenZhe Li Yong Wei Jian-Yang Li Wei Yang A promising view to the Moon: Anticipations for Tianwen-2 samples returned from Kamo’oalewa Earth and Planetary Physics tianwen-2 kamo’oalewa (2016 ho3) returned samples evolutionary history of the moon the earth–moon system |
| title | A promising view to the Moon: Anticipations for Tianwen-2 samples returned from Kamo’oalewa |
| title_full | A promising view to the Moon: Anticipations for Tianwen-2 samples returned from Kamo’oalewa |
| title_fullStr | A promising view to the Moon: Anticipations for Tianwen-2 samples returned from Kamo’oalewa |
| title_full_unstemmed | A promising view to the Moon: Anticipations for Tianwen-2 samples returned from Kamo’oalewa |
| title_short | A promising view to the Moon: Anticipations for Tianwen-2 samples returned from Kamo’oalewa |
| title_sort | promising view to the moon anticipations for tianwen 2 samples returned from kamo oalewa |
| topic | tianwen-2 kamo’oalewa (2016 ho3) returned samples evolutionary history of the moon the earth–moon system |
| url | http://www.eppcgs.org/article/doi/10.26464/epp2025015?pageType=en |
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