orbit instrument launched carrier rocket CZ-5 (“Changzheng-5”) with a launch mass of about 870 tons, launched on the eve of the launch of Wenchang. It is expected that the probe will orbit Mars 11-24 February 2021, and on the planet’s surface, the Rover will be lowered approximately on April 23. In this case, China will become the second after the USA as the country with the current Rover on the surface of the red planet.
currently on the surface of Mars are two American apparatus Curiosity (arrived in 2012) and InSight (2018). In addition, six of the probes are flying in orbit around the planet, including one launched by the European space Agency in collaboration with the Russian space program.
the Name of the Chinese unit selected by the national people’s Congress vote. “Questions to heaven” is the title of one of the poems of the ancient Chinese classic of poetry CUA Yuan, in which he asks questions about the Universe. The Chinese side stated objectives, in addition to demonstrate the capabilities of space industry of PRC, is the creation of maps of the surface of Mars, studying its morphology and geological structure (on the Rover has a ground-penetrating radar investigation depth up to 100 meters), the analysis of the distribution of water ice, the composition of the surface, climate, ionosphere, electromagnetic and gravitational fields. With these data, Chinese scientists plan to understand the possible colonization of Mars, and also to clarify the question about signs of life on the planet.
interestingly, China in this case, ahead of the United States who intend to launch its fifth Martian probe a week later. We are talking about the launch of the Rover Preseverance (“Persistence”) within the Mars program of NASA. “The device will conduct on Mars, a minimum of one year, he will look for signs of ancient life, including microbial, and collect samples of rock and soil for eventual delivery to Earth,” – said on the website of the mission.
If the samples will return (approximately in 2031), it will be the first ever delivery of samples from Mars. In addition, Preseverance I’ll try to start a mini-helicopter in the weak Martian atmosphere. The American launch is scheduled for the period from 30 July to 15 August when Earth and Mars will be in the most favorable position relative to each other. It is planned that on the surface of the red planet American Rover will be on February 18, almost two months ahead of the Chinese.
“Tangwani-1” touches the surface on the Plain of Utopia, where in 1976 he visited the American probe Viking-2, and Preseverance will sit relatively close to the edge of this plain within the crater, where once, presumably, was the lake. Split the Rovers are likely to be hundreds of kilometers, so the probability of meeting them is zero.
meanwhile, the scientists are already being consideredinclude “Martian race” as a political rivalry, comparing it with the “moon race” of the USSR and the US during the second half of the twentieth century. In 2016, the Chinese government said that by 2030, intends to make China “one of the main space powers”. To do this, Beijing is planning in 2022 to launch new space station in earth orbit, and in 2030-ies to send people to the moon.
But America is not going to give leadership in this direction. President Donald trump in the beginning of his reign, instructed NASA to accelerate the exploration program space and sending astronauts to the moon and then to Mars.
