China's First Mars Rover Tianwen-1 to Attempt Mars Landing Starting This Weekend

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Eunbyeol] China's first Mars unmanned probe, Tianwen 1, is reported to plan to attempt landing on Mars between the 15th and 19th of this month.

According to the New York Times (NYT) and the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on the 14th, Tianwen 1 plans to attempt landing on Mars at an appropriate time starting as early as the 15th. The targeted landing site is the Utopia Planitia, a large impact basin on Mars.

Launched on July 23 last year, Tianwen 1 entered Mars orbit in February after about seven months of flight and has been orbiting while collecting data.

If Tianwen 1 succeeds in landing, the exploration rover 'Zhurong' (祝融) is expected to conduct exploration operations for about three months. Previously, the U.S. rover Perseverance also landed on Mars in February to carry out a mission searching for signs of life.

The NYT reported, "So far, only the United States and the former Soviet Union have succeeded in landing on Mars," adding, "China is attempting a Mars landing that only two countries have succeeded in."

From October 1960, when the former Soviet Union sent the world's first Mars probe, until the launch of Tianwen 1, there have been 45 Mars exploration attempts worldwide, but only 17 missions were successfully completed.