China successfully launches Tianwen-1 mission to Mars

23 Jul 2020

China successfully launches Tianwen-1 mission to Mars

China successfully launches Tianwen-1 mission to MarsToday, China successfully launched Tianwen-1, its first major interplanetary mission to Mars.

With this mission, China aims to become only the second nation (after the US) to land and operate a rover on Mars.

The mission consists of a Martian orbiter, lander, and rover. It was launched on top of a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan, China.

Tianwen 1 (meaning "Questions to Heaven") will take 7 months to reach Mars. It is scheduled to get there by February 2021.

Once it gets there, the orbiter will circle Mars for three months before the rover and lander attempt to land on the planet.

The mission aims to study the geology of Mars; find out more about what is beneath Mars' surface.

Previously, Europe has tried twice to land spacecraft on Mars but failed both times. The Soviet Union’s Mars 3 spacecraft did land in 1971 but it stopped communicating after 20 seconds.

Why are so many missions to Mars being launched this month?

Earlier this week, the United Arab Emirates also launched its first Mars mission. Then on 30 July, NASA's Perseverance rover will also be launched.

All these missions are being launched this month because this is the best time for a launch to Mars. Once every 26 months, Earth and Mars' orbit align favourably and they are at their closest points to each other. This window will close by 15 August.

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Today, China successfully launched Tianwen-1, its first major interplanetary mission to Mars. With this mission, China aims to become only the second nation (after the […]

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Comments: 2

Mr Rohit Chauhan says:

25 July 2020 at 10:36 am

Wow

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Mr Rohit Chauhan says:

25 July 2020 at 10:37 am

I think this news is full of adventure

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