Nature Communications, Published online: 27 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73284-w The origin of asteroid (469219) Kamo‘oalewa, target of China’s Tianwen-2 mission, is debated. Here, the authors show that it probably originated from the Flora family and it resembles asteroid (25143) Itokawa-like composition but with a more space-weathered surface.
Tianwen-2 mission target asteroid (469219) Kamoʻoalewa probably develops an Itokawa-compositional but more space-weathered surface
Yang Li
