China launched its Tianwen-2 space probe on Thursday, marking the country's first mission to retrieve samples from an asteroid. The probe, carried by a Long March-3B rocket, was sent to explore asteroid 2016HO3 and comet 311P. The mission aims to collect ancient materials from the asteroid, which may provide insights into the early solar system.

The Tianwen-2 mission, expected to last about a decade, is part of China's ambitious space program, which includes a space station, plans for a crewed Moon mission, and previous successes like landing rovers on Mars and the Moon. The launch marks another milestone in China's "space dream," as outlined by President Xi Jinping.