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Pradeep Kumar

16/05/21 12:00 PM IST

China's spacecraft landed on Mars

In news

China landed a spacecraft on Mars carrying its first Mars rover in a big boost to its space ambitions.

Highlights
  • China had in July last year launched its first Mars mission, called Tianwen-1, meaning Questions to Heaven, carrying a lander and rover.
  • Tianwen-1 had been in orbit since February, and on 15 May , a lander descended successfully on to the surface of the red planet carrying a rover named Zhurong.
  • The rover will provide “first-hand materials for research on the planet’s space environment, surface topography, and soil structure.
  • China’s leadership sees the space programme as an important part of China’s ambitions to close the technological gulf with the U.S.
China's Previous space missions
  • China had previously tried to launch a Mars orbiter along with Russia in 2011, but that failed to enter orbit. 
  • China’s Mars mission, along with lunar mission and space station, is key to its space programme.
  • In 2019, the fourth lunar probe, Chang’e-4, carried out the world’s first landing on the far side of the moon.
  • The Mars mission was launched the following year.
  • China is also investing heavily in its manned space programme, as plans accelerate for its first space station, set to be functional by the end of next year and only the second space station after the International Space Station.
Source: The Hindu

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