China targets 2031 return of Mars samples with Tianwen-3, plans 2028 launch
China has reaffirmed an ambitious timetable to retrieve samples from Mars, saying it is on track to launch the Tianwen-3 Mars Sample Return mission around 2028 and deliver at least 500 grams of Martian material to Earth by 2031. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) outlined the plan during the opening ceremony of the country’s 11th Space Day in Chengdu.
Tianwen-3 would be China’s first attempt at an interplanetary sample return. The mission is designed to execute a sequence of complex operations: land on the Martian surface, collect samples, use an ascent vehicle to place the sample container into Mars orbit, and transfer it to an Earth-return spacecraft for the journey home.
If successful, the campaign would place China among the few nations capable of conducting multi-phase interplanetary missions of this kind. CNSA also highlighted the program’s international component. In April 2025, the agency opened Tianwen-3 to global participation, offering up to 20 kilograms of payload capacity for partners.
It received 28 proposals from around the world and, after evaluating scientific value, engineering feasibility, mission support and technological readiness, selected five projects. Officials have not yet disclosed full details of the selected payloads but said they are expected to enhance the mission’s scientific return.
The announcement comes as NASA and the European Space Agency grapple with challenges to their joint Mars Sample Return (MSR) program. The initiative has been marred by budget overruns and technical complexities, leading both agencies to reconsider mission architecture and timelines.
Although NASA’s Perseverance rover has been caching scientifically valuable samples on the Martian surface, a clear plan to retrieve them is still in development. If Tianwen-3 maintains its schedule, it could be the first mission to bring Martian samples back to Earth.
Scientists say returned samples would be pivotal for studying Mars’s geological history and for investigating whether the planet once hosted ancient microbial life. With a 2028 launch window approaching, Tianwen-3 is positioned to shape the next phase of competition and cooperation in planetary exploration.