The communication time between China's tianwen-1 Mars probe and the Earth is being delayed by 30 seconds

On August 23, China's tianwen-1 Mars probe was on fire. The reporter learned from the lunar exploration and space engineering center of China's National Space Administration that as of 12:00 on the 23rd, the tianwen-1 Mars probe had flown 86.5 million kilometers, 9.27 million kilometers away from the earth, flying normally.

At 12:41 on July 23, tianwen-1, China's first Mars exploration mission, was launched from Wenchang by the Long March 5 carrier rocket. Tianwen-1 mission mainly includes six flight phases: launch phase, earth-Mars transfer phase, Mars capture phase, Mars parking phase, off orbit landing phase and scientific exploration phase. At present, it is in the transfer section of Earth-Mars, which takes about 6.5 months.

In order to ensure that the tianwen-1 Mars probe can rendezvous with Mars accurately at the scheduled time, 4-5 orbital midway corrections and 1 Deep Space maneuver are required in the earth fire transfer phase.

After entering the earth fire transfer orbit, the solar wing of tianwen-1 Mars probe is deployed to conduct sun orientation, and the directional antenna is to be deployed for closed-loop tracking. The detector carried out zero correction of directional antenna, routine orbit parameter injection, measurement orbit and temperature management, and carry out self inspection test and attitude maneuver test of onboard equipment. Scientific data of load is to be  transmitted smoothly and all flight control work will be carried out normally.

According to the information from the lunar exploration and space engineering center of China National Space Administration, the deep space stations and VLBI stations participating in the tracking and tracking of this stage are in good operation, the TT & C communication system is working normally, and the orbit determination accuracy meets the mission requirements.

It is understood that deep space maneuver is an orbit control action with a large amount of control and is more difficult. only after the deep space maneuver can tianwen-1 really fly to Mars.

On August 2, tianwen-1 Mars probe completed the first half-way correction, and the 3000n orbit control engine was started for 20 seconds. In September, tianwen-1 will make a second orbit correction.

With tianwen-1 getting farther and farther away from the earth, the communication delay is getting longer and longer. At present, it is about 30 seconds. When approaching Mars, the one-way delay can reach more than ten or twenty minutes, which requires high autonomous function of the probe.