The China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Saturday confirmed that the lander carrying China’s first Mars rover has touched down on Mars, making this a historial success for the nation as it’s the first time China has landed a probe on a planet aside from Earth.
As reported by information company IANS, the rover touched down at its pre-selected touchdown space within the southern a part of Utopia Planitia on Mars at Beijing Time 7.18 a.m. on Saturday.
Reacting to this, CNSA head Zhang Kejian introduced on the Beijing Aerospace Control Centre that, (*10*)
ALSO READ | WhatsApp’s New Privacy Policy: What Changes You May Face If You Don’t Accept It Today?
Zhurong Rover Lands On Mars – 10 Key Points To Know
1. China launched its Mars probe — Tianwen-1 — on July 23, 2020. The spacecraft, consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, was launched from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of southern China’s island province of Hainan.
2. The Mars rover is known as Zhurong. Chinese state information company Xinhua in a report said that Zhurong is the god of fireside in historical Chinese mythology, which echoes the Chinese identify of the pink planet, Huoxing (which means the planet of fireside).
3. The Zhurong rover resembles a blue butterfly. It is a six-wheeled solar-powered rover with a mass of 240 kg. It has an anticipated lifespan of at the very least 90 Martian days which is about three months on Earth.
4. The spacecraft entered the Mars orbit in February after a journey of almost seven months by area, and spent greater than two months surveying potential touchdown websites.
5. On saturday, the spacecraft started to descend from its parking orbit. After flying for roughly three hours, the entry capsule hurtled towards the pink planet and entered the Mars ambiance at an altitude of 125 km.
6. First, the specifically designed aerodynamic form of the entry capsule decelerated with the friction of the Martian ambiance and an enormous parachute masking an space of about 200 sq. metres was unfurled.
7. The parachute and the outer defend of the spacecraft have been then jettisoned, exposing the lander and rover. At about 100 metres above the Martian floor, the craft hovered to establish obstacles. Tt chosen a comparatively flat space and descended slowly.
8. After separating from the entry capsule, the orbiter was lifted to return to its parking orbit and helped relay communications between the touchdown car and Earth.
9. According to studies, rover Zhurong, earlier than transferring down from the lander to the Martian floor, will take about 7-8 days time ti detect the encompassing setting and conduct self checks.
10. The Tianwen-1 goals to map the morphology and geological construction, examine floor soil traits and water-ice distribution, analyze the floor materials composition, measure the ionosphere and the traits of the Martian local weather of Mars.
