Chinese footprints on the red planet with the unmanned spacecraft – Tianwen-1 making China the second country that succeeded in this mission after the US. The Tianwen-1 spacecraft, orbiting around Mars, dropped the rover on the planet on Saturday. The rover named Zhurong – successfully completed the most critical phase which is referred to as “the 9 minutes of terror” during this time the rover would not have any control from the ground, it would be inaccessible and loses all communication until it locates and lands in a right place on the surface.
As per the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) at the time of descent, the speed of the rover came down to Zero from 20,000km per hour.
On the 23rd of July 2020, the spacecraft Tianwen-1 ascended from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. It comprised a rover, an orbiter, and a lander. The rover completed the journey of nine months and reached the planet, it took its position on Utopia Planitia which is a huge lava plain.
According to the Xinhua report; the spacecraft orbited for three hours before the lander and rover separated from the orbiter. While it discovered a place to land the rover stood at 100 meters height. It hovered to determine the obstacles and measured challenges on the surface and landed on relatively even ground.
China is emerging in space technology and stands third in spacecraft landing on Mars this year. The first one was by the US – it sent the rover Perseverance that landed on 18th February 2021- for the first time it launched the robotic helicopter on the planet. It is exploring the planet to collect soil and rock samples. UAE also launched a spacecraft – Hope which reached Mars in February and is on a mission to collect weather and atmosphere reports presently.
The solar-powered and Six-wheeled spacecraft weighing 240 kilograms will now start its quest to analyze and collect atmospheric samples from Mars. It has to work faster as it can sustain for three Martian months that add up to 92 earth days.
China is aggressively preparing itself to utilize advanced technology to learn the secrets of the universe and extend outcomes for purposeful use of it. Falling in the same grid is the plan for a permanent space station that China wants to close by 2022. It sent a key module that can accommodate three astronauts for up to six months and offer electricity.