Tianwen-1

Tianwen-1 was a robotic spacecraft mission to Mars conducted by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). It consisted of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover named Zhurong. The mission's primary goals included studying Martian geology, atmospheric composition, and searching for potential signs of past or present life.

Launched on July 23, 2020, Tianwen-1 entered Martian orbit on February 10, 2021. The Zhurong rover successfully landed in Utopia Planitia on May 14, 2021, making China the second nation to successfully land a rover on Mars after the United States.

The Zhurong rover operated on the Martian surface for over a year, exceeding its planned lifespan. It traversed the Martian landscape, collecting data with its suite of scientific instruments, which included ground-penetrating radar, multispectral cameras, and a meteorological station. The orbiter provided relay communications for the rover and also conducted its own scientific observations of Mars from orbit.

The name "Tianwen" translates to "Questions to Heaven" or "Heavenly Questions," taken from a poem by Qu Yuan, reflecting China's historical interest in astronomy and space exploration. The mission represented a significant step forward in China's space program and contributed valuable scientific data to our understanding of Mars.