China's Tianwen-3 aims to return Mars samples by 2028, challenging U.S. lead

China's Tianwen-3 mission is on track to return Martian samples to Earth by 2028, potentially beating NASA's Mars Sample Return program, which faces delays and budget overruns. The milestone would mark the first time the U.S. loses a major space race milestone. The claim is based on official Chinese space agency statements and media reports, but the timeline remains uncertain given technical and funding challenges.