2020 Chinese Mars Mission
| Mission type | Technology, reconnaissance |
|---|---|
| Operator | National Space Science Centre (NSSC) |
| Mission duration | ≥ 1 Earth year[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | July/August 2020 (proposed)[2][1] |
| Rocket | Long March 5 |
| Entered service | |
| Mars orbiter | |
| Spacecraft component | orbiter |
| Orbital insertion | 2021 (proposed) |
| Mars lander | |
| Spacecraft component | Lander/Rover |
| Landing date | 2021 (proposed) |
| Mars rover | |
| Spacecraft component | Lander/Rover |
| Landing date | 2021 (proposed) |
The 2020 Chinese Mars Mission is a planned project by China to place a Mars orbiter, lander and rover on Mars. The mission is planned to be launched in July or August 2020[2][3] with a Long March 5 heavy lift rocket.[4][5][6]
Overview
China's Mars programme started in 2009 in a partnership with Russia. However, the Russian spacecraft Fobos-Grunt carrying a Chinese orbiter Yinghuo-1 crashed on November 9, 2011, after lift-off. After that, China started its own Mars project.[7]
The spacecraft is being developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), and managed by the National Space Science Centre (NSSC) in Beijing.[4] This Mars mission would be a demonstration of technology needed for a Mars sample return mission proposed for the 2030s.[4] The lander carrying the rover will use a parachute, retrorockets, and an airbag to achieve landing.[8]
The rover will be powered by solar panels, probe the ground with radar, perform chemical analyses on the soil, and look for biomolecules and biosignatures.[1]
Scientific instruments
The notional payload consists of:[4]
- Orbiter
- Space particle detector
- Spectrometer, to look for methane in the atmosphere of Mars
- Space-based radar
- Rover
- Ground-penetrating radar to image about 400 m (1,300 ft) below the Martian surface
- Radiation detector
See also
References
- 1 2 3 "China Exclusive: China's aim to explore Mars". Xinhua News. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
- 1 2 "China shows first images of Mars rover, aims for 2020 mission". Reuters. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
- ↑ "Interview with Zhang Rongqiao, the man behind China's mission to Mars". Youtube. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
China Central Television
- 1 2 3 4 Jones, Andrew (22 February 2016). "China is racing to make the 2020 launch window to Mars". GB Times. Retrieved 2016-02-22.
- ↑ Berger, Eric (22 February 2016). "China pressing ahead with orbiter and lander mission to Mars". ARS Technica. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ↑ Lu, Shen (4 November 2016). "China says it plans to land rover on Mars in 2020". CNN News. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ↑ Nan, Wu (24 June 2014). "Next stop - Mars: China aims to send rover to Red Planet within six years". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
- ↑ Jones, Andrew (21 March 2016). "China reveals more details of its 2020 Mars mission". GB Times. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
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