[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] China is expected to launch its first Mars probe, Tianwen-1, as early as the end of this month. The carrier rocket Changzheng (Long March)-5B Y4, which will carry the probe, has been moved to the launch pad at the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan, China.
On the 17th, the Global Times cited an announcement from the China National Space Administration (CNSA), reporting that the Tianwen-1 carrier rocket was erected vertically and moved to the launch pad that morning. The first Mars probe launch is expected to take place between late July and early August. The Changzheng-5B Y4 carrier rocket arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Site at the end of May and has completed all pre-launch tests.
Tianwen-1 has also already arrived at the Wenchang Space Launch Site and is undergoing launch preparations. China plans to carry out the mission of Mars orbital flight, landing, and exploration all at once with this launch. The probe is expected to collect samples from the surface of Mars and bring them back to Earth.
The shortest distance between Earth and Mars is approximately 55 million kilometers, and the two planets come closest to each other once every 26 months. The final launch date of the Chinese Mars probe will be determined by comprehensively considering the distance between Earth and Mars, weather conditions, and the overall situation at the launch center.
The most suitable weather conditions for the Tianwen-1 launch have been identified as no rain, ground wind speed below 8 meters per second, and horizontal visibility over 20 kilometers.
If China succeeds in landing Tianwen-1 on Mars, it will follow in the footsteps of the United States and the former Soviet Union. China attempted its first Mars exploration in 2011 but failed.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
