The Chinese descent spacecraft of the Tianwen-1 system has successfully landed on the surface of Mars, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Chinese National Space Administration. This is China's first probe landing on Mars.
According to Chinese President Xi Jinping, by landing the Tianwen 1 probe on the surface of the Red Planet, China for the first time left its mark on Mars, which is another important milestone in the development of China's space industry.
“Your fearlessness in the face of challenges and your commitment to excellence has made China one of the leading countries in planetary exploration,” Xi Jinping said.
It is necessary to carefully organize and carry out the movement on the surface of Mars, as well as scientific research on the Red Planet, be guided by the principle of independence in scientific and technological development and promote large space projects, including the study of other planets, Xi Jinping added.
He also called for building up the power of China in the field of space technology and making a new and more significant contribution to the study of the mysteries of the universe and the promotion of the noble cause of peace and human development.
The Tianwen-1 interplanetary station consists of an orbiter, a descent vehicle and a rover. The complex was launched to Mars on July 23, 2020 by the Changzheng-5 launch vehicle. It is planned that the rover will remain in the lander for several days for testing, after which it will explore the Utopia Plain.
"Tianwen" is the title of a poem by the ancient Chinese poet Cai Yuan, it is translated as "Questions to the sky", and it speaks, among other things, of the stars and other celestial bodies.
The first Chinese probe to study Mars was supposed to be the Inkho-1 orbiter, launched in 2011 together with the Russian automatic scientific interplanetary station Phobos-Grunt. The station was unable to leave low-earth orbit.
