China has unveiled its first color-coded global maps of Mars that were taken by their first independent mission to explore the planet, the Tianwen-1 orbiter.
The Tianwen-1 was able to take over 14,000 photos using its moderate-resolution imaging camera between November 2021 and July 2022, as reported by the China National Space Administration (CNSA)
According to South China Morning Post, the maps will help add to their knowledge of the red planet, which will help them plan for future missions. The images have also helped scientists identify a lot of geographical features near the landing site, of which 22 were named after places in China.
Tianwen-1 Mission
The Tianwen-1 launched in July 2020 and entered the Martian orbit in February 2021. It was able to capture preselected landing areas in Utopia Planitia,a large plain, and has helped with the successful touchdown of a lander and a rover three months later.
By the end of June 2022, the orbiter had circled Mars over 1,000 times and supported data relay between the Zhurong rover and Earth. It also has conducted global remote-sensing servers of Mars at a lower orbit.
The Tianwen-3 Mission
The Tianwen-3 mission is expected to launch around 2030 and will be on a mission to bring back at least 500 grams of rocks from Mars' surface. Currently, Chinese scientists are still looking into possible landing sites that would help them address questions about the signs of life on Mars.
The mission will consist of three parts: an orbiter, a lander, and a rover, similar to the Tianwen-1 mission. The orbiter will relay communications between the lander and rover on the surface and Earth. The lander will touch down on Mars and deploy the rover to explore the landing site and collect rock samples. The samples will then be returned to Earth for analysis.
The Tianwen-3 mission is part of China's long-term plan to explore and study Mars and a step towards their goal of eventually sending humans to the planet. It also aims to contribute to the international scientific community's understanding of Mars and its potential for habitability.
The Tianwen-3 mission continues China's successful space exploration program, which has already sent multiple spacecraft to orbit the Moon and land on its surface. With this latest Mars mission, Chinese scientists hope to expand our understanding of Earth's neighboring planet.
Another important aspect of the mission will be testing new technologies and techniques for future human missions to Mars. These include advanced landing systems, autonomous rovers capable of navigating rugged terrain, and sophisticated communication networks between Earth-based controllers and astronauts in deep space.
The success of previous Chinese space missions demonstrates their ability to conduct complex operations in challenging environments. As such, many experts are optimistic about what they can achieve with the Tianwen-3 project - both in terms of scientific discoveries made during the initial phase and paving a path towards eventual manned exploration beyond our own planet into deeper parts unknowns within our solar system!
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