China has announced new plans for a Uranus probe. The new probe will be a part of China’s Tianwen 4 mission. It’s set to launch for the distant planet in 2030. Probing Uranus has become a top priority for scientists in recent years. In fact, one community even came up with names for a possible probe mission from NASA. Now, China has a special mission planned to send a spacecraft to Uranus.
On top of targeting Uranus, there’s something else that makes this mission unique. Most probe missions thus far have focused on carrying spacecraft for a singular mission. However, when Tianwen 4 kicks off in 2030, it will actually carry two probes into space – one probe for Jupiter and China’s first Uranus probe.
Astronomers have been studying Uranus for decades. However, no space agency has yet to send a probe to the distant planet. As the third-largest planet in our Solar System, many have been intrigued to learn more about this beautiful and icy planet. China’s push for a Uranus probe isn’t likely to be the last we’ll see, either.
China plans to launch its Uranus probe on a Long March 5 rocket. It will be situated next to a larger spacecraft destined for Jupiter. China has yet to share details of the scientific goals for these missions, Space.com reports. But, learning anything new about Uranus is going to be a big plus for astronomers.
With NASA steadily building back towards putting humans on the Moon and even planning a manned mission to Mars, these probing Uranus and Jupiter might not seem that important. But, missions like China’s Uranus probe are still just as important as it has always been, especially if we want to understand what object devastated Uranus so long ago.
We’ll have to wait and see what China’s Uranus probe mission will entail. With a little luck, we’ll hear more about a NASA-driven mission soon, too.
