China's Tianwen-3 Mars mission, launching in 2028, aims to return at least 500 grams of Martian soil to Earth by 2031.

China's Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission will enter flight model development in 2026, with launch planned for 2028 and a target return of at least 500 grams of Martian material to Earth by 2031. Key technologies under development include surface sampling, ascent from Mars, orbital rendezvous, and sample transfer. The mission involves an orbiter-returner and a lander-ascender-service module complex, aiming to study Martian geology, atmosphere, and potential past life. International scientists are invited to participate. Meanwhile, the Tianwen-2 asteroid probe, launched in 2025, has traveled 700 million kilometers and is expected to orbit near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3 in 2026.