Tianwen-1, the Chinese mission to Mars, was launched last July. The mission landed on the red planet on May 15. So on board Zhurong, the first Chinese Mars rover. It weighs about 240 kilograms and is equipped with a long mast with cameras. Not only do they take pictures, they also help with navigation.
Utopia Planita, the place where Zhurong landed, was of course not chosen by chance. In 2016, researchers announced that there would be a gigantic mass of ice below the surface at that spot. In addition, the Chinese mission also intends to study the magnetic field, climate and weather on Mars, among other things. Zhurong is equipped with all kinds of extra instruments for this.
In addition to being a scientific project, the Chinese Mars mission is also a prestige project. China would like to show the world what it can do in the field of space travel.
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