bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

quizIds

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

paywallTypes

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Rachel Zhang

China’s Mars rover has been going in for a close look at rocks and sand dunes in the two months since it touched down on the red planet.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Monday that the Zhu Rong rover was performing well and was continuing to send back images of the Martian surface.
The CNSA said the device had covered more than 410 metres (1,345 feet) by Sunday night, taking photos of features along the way.
The rover landed on Mars on May 14 on a large plain in the northern hemisphere known as Utopia Planitia.
Since then, it had been travelling south, using various sensors to assess atmospheric and magnetic conditions, the administration said.

The Zhu Rong is part of the Tianwen 1 mission, China’s first independent Mars exploration mission.
The rover lifted off from southern China just under a year ago, along with a lander and an orbiter to relay information to and from Earth.
It entered Mars orbit in February before touching down three months later.
The mission is part of China’s ambition to retrieve samples from Mars in 2030 and send crews to the planet for exploration in 2033.


China is the third country to land on the planet after the United States and the Soviet Union.
The Zhu Rong is not alone on Mars – Nasa’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers are also working on the planet.
So far the United States has landed successfully on Mars eight times. The Soviet Union was the first to achieve the feat in 1971, but the lander soon stopped communicating and the federation’s subsequent attempts all failed.
China’s efforts to explore Mars date back to 2011 with the launch of the Yinghuo 1 mission, involving a Mars probe attached to a Russian spacecraft.
But the spacecraft was stranded in orbit and ended up being lost before crashing into the Pacific Ocean the next year.

China has been trying to catch up with the United States in space technology and is making progress with several space-related programmes.
Three astronauts are in orbit building China’s own space station, the Tiangong, which is expected to be completed next year.
The International Space Station developed by the United States, Russia and other countries is ageing and approaching the end of its intended life in 2024.


China’s Shenzhou-20 crew to test superconductors, install debris defences on space station

Shanghai launches plan to lead development of China’s commercial space sector

Shenzhou-20 launch signals nothing will stop the rise of China

US scientists given access to moon rocks brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 probe

China's space programme

China’s Zhu Rong rover zooms in on rocks in Mars space mission

China’s space agency says the Zhu Rong rover has covered more than 400 metres. Photo: Reuters

The landscape of Mars captured by Chinese rover Zhurong of the Tianwen-1 mission is seen in this image released by China National Space Administration (CNSA) July 9, 2021. CNSA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

Rocks on the surface of Mars captured by Chinese rover Zhurong of the Tianwen-1 mission are seen in this image released by China National Space Administration (CNSA) July 9, 2021. CNSA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

China’s Mars rover Zhu Rong shown landing and exploring in first video

Mars rover Zhu Rong is shown in the video descending to the Martian surface and driving away from its landing platform. Photo: CNSA/Handout via Xinhua

China posts new Mars photos from rover Zhu Rong, declares mission a success

The rover Zhu Rong (left) and its landing platform were photographed together on Mars. Photo: Xinhua

China’s Mars eye in the sky snaps Zhu Rong rover landing site

The high-resolution image shows the lander and rover in the top left. Photo: CCTV

An image taken on Mars by Chinese rover Zhurong of China's Tianwen-1 mission is seen in this handout image released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), May 19, 2021. CNSA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

China’s Zhu Rong Mars rover off and roaming on red planet

The Zhu Rong rover has rolled down the landing vehicle ramp and is exploring the red planet. Photo: CNS/CNSA

FILE PHOTO: An image taken on Mars by Chinese rover Zhurong of China's Tianwen-1 mission is seen in this handout image released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), May 19, 2021. CNSA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES./File Photo

China’s Mars mission: Hong Kong scientists behind Zhu Rong landing demand more government support for aerospace research

A simulated image shows the Mars landing of a China rover. Photo: Xinhua

PolyU Professor Yung  Kai-leung at a press conference on PolyUâs contribution to PRCâs  first Mars mission with multidisciplinary research.21MAY21 SCMP / Xiaomei Chen

A Mars Landing Surveillance Camera developed and produced by PolyU displayed at a press conference on PolyUâs contribution to PRCâs  first Mars mission with multidisciplinary research.21MAY21 SCMP / Xiaomei Chen

News

China

Science


Device continues to send back snaps of the red planet two months after touchdown
Rover has covered more than 400 metres so far, Chinese space agency says



Device continues to send back snaps of the red planet two months after touchdown.


Space

China’s Zhu Rong rover zooms in on rocks in Mars space mission

Device continues to send back snaps of the red planet two months after touchdown Rover has covered more than 400 metres so far, Chinese space agency says

Device continues to send back snaps of the red planet two months after touchdown

Rover has covered more than 400 metres so far, Chinese space agency says