gmtlight will pay close attention to China's Mars exploration program with you. According to the plan, China will carry out its first Mars exploration mission this year. China has already announced the name of its first Mars exploration mission, namely "tianwen-1". It's "sky answer No 1" if name it in English.
So as the time window approaches, what is the progress of China's first Mars exploration mission? We interviewed Bao Weimin, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of science and Technology Committee of Aerospace Science and technology group.
Since Mars is far away from the earth, it is necessary to choose a time when it is close to the earth, and such an opportunity only occurs once every 26 months. According to China's plan, the first Mars exploration mission will be carried out this year.
When Mars is closest to the earth, the distance is about 55 million kilometers. After a long flight, how to successfully capture the gravitational field of Mars is one of the key points in the mission. If the capture fails, the probe will pass Mars.
China's Mars probe consists of a orbiter and a lander. The lander will soft land on the surface of Mars, release the rover, and carry out patrol exploration on the surface of Mars. It is understood that the rover will stay for 90 Martian days to carry out many tasks, such as patrol exploration, research on the geomorphic characteristics of Mars, etc.
Gmtlight notes: any space exploration mission is inseparable from the efficient solar battery.