The Mars mission, named Tianwen-1, comprises of an orbiter, lander and rover to be delivered by the powerful Long March 5 rocket to study the planet’s soil.
China on Thursday launched an unmanned probe to Mars, aiming to demonstrate its technological prowess as the United States will undertake a similar mission on July 30, AFP reported. Both probes are expected to reach the red planet in February 2021 and take advantage of a period when Earth and Mars are favourably aligned for a short journey. The Mars mission, named Tianwen-1 after “Tianwen”, or “Questions to Heaven”, blasted off from Hainan Island in the country’s south. It comprises of an orbiter, lander and rover to be delivered by the powerful Long March 5 rocket to study the planet’s soil.
