China lands its Zhurong rover on Mars

[Still Waters]

China has successfully landed a spacecraft on Mars, state media announced early on Saturday.

The six-wheeled Zhurong robot was targeting Utopia Planitia, a vast terrain in the planet's northern hemisphere.

The vehicle used a combination of a protective capsule, a parachute and a rocket platform to make the descent.

The successful touchdown is a remarkable achievement, given the difficult nature of the task.

Only the Americans have really mastered landing on Mars until now. All other countries that have tried have either crashed or lost contact soon after reaching the surface.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57122914

[TheSpaceResident]

It's big achievement not only for China, but for the whole world, because landing a rover on Mars at the first attempt is something unreal. I don't think that Chinese rover will make any scientific discoveries that will be more important and more significant than the discoveries of Perceverance. 

[Myles]

Impressive.   I wonder what capabilities it has?

[Myles]

1 hour ago, TheSpaceResident said:

It's big achievement not only for China, but for the whole world, because landing a rover on Mars at the first attempt is something unreal. I don't think that Chinese rover will make any scientific discoveries that will be more important and more significant than the discoveries of Perceverance. 

They are there to destroy each other.

 

 

 

[TheSpaceResident]

19 hours ago, Myles said:

They are there to destroy each other.

 

Can you explain me why do you think so? Will Perseverance and Zhurong destroy each other, whereas UAE Hope Probe will send us the photos of this epic battle?

 

 

[Myles]

10 minutes ago, TheSpaceResident said:

 

I was joking.  

[TheSpaceResident]

19 hours ago, Myles said:

Impressive.   I wonder what capabilities it has?

Well, according to the information I know, the rover is equipped with six instruments. There are two cameras: a multi-spectrum camera and a camera for navigation and topography. Mars Meteorological Measurement Instrument is a weather station on the rover, and Mars Surface Compound Detector will analyze the surface and search for traces of life. Engineers developed a separate instrument to detect a magnetic field — Mars Surface Magnetic Field Detector. And the last one is Subsurface Penetrating Radar that'll image the ground of Mars.

[TheSpaceResident]

1 minute ago, Myles said:

I was joking.  

I'm too)

[Buzz_Light_Year]

Quote

Weighing 240kg and looking rather a lot like NASA's old Spirit and Opportunity rovers, Zhurong is equipped with instruments designed to analyze the chemical composition of the rocks.

[Still Waters]

Latest:

China on Mars: Zhurong rover returns first pictures

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57172346

[+OverSword]

On 5/18/2021 at 7:10 AM, TheSpaceResident said:

It's big achievement not only for China, but for the whole world, because landing a rover on Mars at the first attempt is something unreal. I don't think that Chinese rover will make any scientific discoveries that will be more important and more significant than the discoveries of Perceverance. 

Actually the USA Viking lander was also a first attempt. Not really a rover but still, did everything but move.

[TheSpaceResident]

4 hours ago, OverSword said:

Actually the USA Viking lander was also a first attempt. Not really a rover but still, did everything but move.

Yeah, I remember) Don't think that I want to diminish the achievements of USA)

[Still Waters]

Latest:

China just became the second country to drive a rover on the surface of Mars

China's Zhurong rover left its landing platform and drove on the surface of Mars on Saturday, state media reported -- making the country only the second after the US to land and operate a rover on the red planet.

The six-wheel solar-powered rover, which weighs about 240 kilograms (529 pounds), touched down on Mars on May 15. Its mission is intended to last three months, the Chinese government said, during which time it will search for signs or evidence of ancient life on Mars' surface.

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/22/world/china-first-mars-rover-intl-hnk-scn/index.html

[Still Waters]

China's Zhurong Mars rover takes a selfie

China's Zhurong rover has sent back a batch of new images from Mars - including a "selfie".

The robot, which landed in May, positioned a wireless camera on the ground and then rolled back a short distance to take the snap.

To Zhurong's right is the rocket-powered platform that brought the six-wheeled vehicle to a soft touchdown.

Both display prominent Chinese flags.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57441757

[Still Waters]

China releases videos of its Zhurong Mars rover

The China National Space Agency (CNSA) says Zhurong has driven 236m in 42 Mars sols (as of 27 June). A sol is a Martian day. It lasts slightly longer than an Earth day, at 24 hours and 39 minutes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57628653