China's Tianwen-1 mission

[selvaarchi]

Have decided to have a tread dedicated to China's Mars mission. You can get the older updates by clicking here.

"China's Mars mission tests instruments on its way to the Red Planet"

https://www.space.com/china-mars-mis...struments.html

China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft is performing well on its cruise to Mars and is preparing for its second trajectory correction maneuver, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

By Aug. 19 at 11:20 a.m. EDT (1520 GMT), the spacecraft, which includes an orbiter, lander and rover, was 5.11 million miles (8.23 million kilometers) away from Earth and operating normally, according to CNSA.

That same day, mission engineers began testing instruments on the orbiter, including the Mars magnetometer, the mineralogy spectrometer and the medium- and high-resolution remote-sensing cameras.

[selvaarchi]

"China's Mars probe travels around 100 mln km"

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/202..._139324439.htm

China's Mars probe Tianwen-1 has traveled around 100 million km as of 10:08 a.m. Friday, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

The Mars probe is in stable condition and its multiple payloads have finished self-checks. It has traveled in orbit for 36 days and is 10.75 million km away from Earth.

[Jens]

"China's Mars probe travels around 100 mln km"

I'll bet it's getting tired.

[bknight]

I'll bet it's getting tired.

Better not be it has ~370 M Km left to go on its journey.

[selvaarchi]

"China's first Mars probe Tianwen-1 completes mid-course correction"

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1201516.shtml

China's Tianwen-1 Mars probe successfully completed its orbital correction for a second time as of 11:00 pm Sunday Beijing time, after 60 days into its journey to the Red Planet, Global Times learned from the China National Space Administration (CNSA) on Monday morning.

So far, the spacecraft has travelled some 160 million kilometers, bringing it some 19 million kilometers away from Earth, CNSA said in a statement.

Four 120N engines were simultaneously started and ran for 20 seconds to pull off the second orbital correction, which in return verifies the capability of the engines, CNSA said.

[selvaarchi]

Tianwen-1 celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival (moon cake festival ) with taking some selfies.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/20201...d0ba7cff6.html

he China National Space Administration released mid-flight images of Mars probe Tianwen 1 as the country's National Day coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival on Thursday.

Tianwen 1 reports safety to the motherland and sends its best birthday wishes, said the CNSA in a press release.

The images showed China's five-star red flag dazzling with the golden orbiter and the silver lander and rover in the darkness of the universe.

The flag on Tianwen 1, weighing about 144 grams, is about 39 cm by 26cm in dimension, slightly smaller than a piece of A3 paper. It is sprayed onto the probe with special materials and overprint technology, the CNSA said.

[selvaarchi]

"China's Mars probe completes deep-space maneuver"

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/202..._139429022.htm

China's Mars probe Tianwen-1 successfully conducted a deep-space maneuver on Friday night (Beijing time), according to the China National Space Administration.

The probe completed the maneuver at 11 p.m. after its main engine worked for over 480 seconds.

The maneuver took place 29.4 million km from Earth, aiming to help the probe achieve a sound rendezvous with Mars.

Going forward, the probe will travel along the Earth-Mars transfer orbit for about four months and complete two or three mid-course orbital corrections.

[selvaarchi]

"China's Mars probe completes third orbital correction"

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/202..._139473989.htm

China's Mars probe Tianwen-1 conducted its third orbital correction Wednesday night, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

The probe carried out the orbital correction at around 10 p.m. (Beijing time) with its eight 25N engines working simultaneously. The performance of the 25N engines was also tested during the operation.

The orbital correction aims to fine-tune the transfer orbit after the deep-space maneuver, ensuring that the probe achieves a sound planned rendezvous with Mars.

[selvaarchi]

"China's Mars probe travels over 300 million km"

https://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Ch...on_km_999.html

China's Tianwen 1 Mars probe had traveled 300 million kilometers as of Tuesday morning, according to the China National Space Administration.

The administration said in a statement that the spacecraft had been in good condition. By Tuesday morning, the robotic probe had flown 116 days in an Earth-Mars transfer trajectory toward the red planet, around 63.8 million km away from the Earth, it noted.

[selvaarchi]

"China's Mars probe 100m km from Earth"

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/20201...d0ba9bcdf.html

China's Tianwen 1 Mars probe had been 100 million kilometers far from the Earth as of Monday evening, and had traveled nearly 360 million km by that time, according to the China National Space Administration.

The administration said in a statement on Tuesday morning that the spacecraft had been in good condition. By 9 pm on Monday, the robotic probe had flown 144 days in an Earth-Mars transfer trajectory, around 12 million km away from the red planet, it noted.

[selvaarchi]

"China's Mars probe travels 400 mln km"

http://en.people.cn/n3/2021/0103/c90000-9805384.html

China's Mars probe Tianwen-1 has traveled more than 400 million km by Sunday morning and is expected to enter Mars orbit next month, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

As of 6 a.m. on Sunday (Beijing Time), the Mars probe had flown in space for 163 days. It was about 130 million km from Earth and about 8.3 million km from Mars.

According to the CNSA, the probe is functioning stably and is scheduled to slow down before entering Mars orbit in more than a month and preparing itself to land on the red planet.

[Roger E. Moore]

China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft will reach Mars orbit on February 10

https://www.space.com/china-tianwen-...-february-2021

[selvaarchi]

"China's Tianwen-1 Mars mission in photos" There are 30 photos

https://www.space.com/china-tianwen-...mission-photos

China's first Mars exploration mission, Tianwen-1, will arrive in orbit at the Red Planet on Feb. 10, 2021.

Tianwen-1 consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover. The Tianwen-1 rover is scheduled to deploy to the Martian surface in May, when it will touch down in Utopia Planitia, a large plain that is part of the biggest impact basin on Mars.

See photos of the Tianwen-1 mission here!

[selvaarchi]

"China's Tianwen 1 robotic probe set to enter Mars orbit"

http://www.ecns.cn/news/sci-tech/202...h8284467.shtml

China's Tianwen 1 Mars probe is set to enter Mars' orbit around Feb 10, two days before Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the nation's leading space contractor.

The State-owned conglomerate said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon that the spacecraft will conduct a "braking" operation to decelerate its speed to make sure it will be captured by Mars' gravity.

[Roger E. Moore]

How Mars became the prize for the new space race – and why China is hellbent on winning it.

https://theconversation.com/how-mars...ning-it-153133

[Superluminal]

"China's Tianwen 1 robotic probe set to enter Mars orbit"

http://www.ecns.cn/news/sci-tech/202...h8284467.shtml

Interesting how China's mission mirror's the Viking mission. They're going into orbit first. If there is a major dust storm at Jezero crater Perseverance will have no option but to attempt a landing. The Chinese will have the ability to wait for the dust to settle.

[7cscb]

How Mars became the prize for the new space race – and why China is hellbent on winning it.

https://theconversation.com/how-mars...ning-it-153133

I'm sorry, I musta missed it but the why of the title was not answered, let alone the how.

While there's some interesting info, the author mostly blusters about the Chinese Hordes taking the lead in space, which is clearly not happening. Every country is investing in Space. China is still way behind but it will catch up and, oh my, even surpass in some areas, just like in every other field of human endeavour. No need for drumbeating.

cheers,

[Roger E. Moore]

I'm sorry, I musta missed it but the why of the title was not answered, let alone the how.

As to why Mars is the prize, it's because it has historically been so difficult to reach.

QUOTE: "Mars may be close to Earth, but it is a challenging target. Nothing demonstrates this better than the figures. Out of 49 missions up to December 2020, only about 20 have been successful. Not all these failures were attempts by newbies or early endeavours. In 2016, The European Space Agency’s Schiaparelli Mars Explorer crashed on the surface. Also, ongoing technical issues have forced ESA and its Russian partner Roscosmos to postpone its next mission, ExoMars, until 2022."

Not to mention that USA lost a billion-dollar orbiter a few decades ago as soon as it arrived at Mars. The only thing harder than getting to Mars is landing on Venus, which only the Russians have done.

I don't think the article said the Chinese were ahead of us, but they are doing an awful lot in a relatively short period of time.

[selvaarchi]

As to why Mars is the prize, it's because it has historically been so difficult to reach.

QUOTE: "Mars may be close to Earth, but it is a challenging target. Nothing demonstrates this better than the figures. Out of 49 missions up to December 2020, only about 20 have been successful. Not all these failures were attempts by newbies or early endeavours. In 2016, The European Space Agency’s Schiaparelli Mars Explorer crashed on the surface. Also, ongoing technical issues have forced ESA and its Russian partner Roscosmos to postpone its next mission, ExoMars, until 2022."

Not to mention that USA lost a billion-dollar orbiter a few decades ago as soon as it arrived at Mars. The only thing harder than getting to Mars is landing on Venus, which only the Russians have done.

I don't think the article said the Chinese were ahead of us, but they are doing an awful lot in a relatively short period of time.

It is the western press that harps on a space race. The Chinese themselves say they are in no race but will continue their development at their own pace. The last few years was on their moon missions. The next few years on their space station. In between they have Cheng'e-6, Jupiter mission and asteroid mission. More details will come out when they publish their next 5 year plan.

[Roger E. Moore]

Mars ahead! China's Tianwen-1 mission snaps 1st photo of Red Planet.

https://www.space.com/china-tianwen-...rst-mars-photo

[selvaarchi]

China installs the largest radio dish in Asia, to support the Mars mission. Watch a two minute video on it.

https://www.scmp.com/video/china/312...bit-around-red

China readies massive antenna as Tianwen-1 Mars mission nears orbit around red planet

[selvaarchi]

"Tianwen 1 makes orbital correction as Mars arrival draws near". The next critical correction will be on the 10th. Good bluck China.

https://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Ti..._near_999.html

t will conduct a "braking" operation to decelerate and make sure it will be captured by Martian gravity around Feb 10, said China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the nation's leading space contractor.

[Roger E. Moore]

A Chinese spacecraft appears poised to enter orbit around Mars. Chinese authorities, always cautious about possible failure, have not announced a planned arrival time.

https://apnews.com/article/middle-ea...e4bf6eda5537eb

[Roger E. Moore]

CHINA MADE IT! The Tianwen-1 orbiter, lander, and rover mission to Mars has successfully arrived at the Red Planet following an approximately 15 minute Mars Orbit Insertion burn that placed the craft into orbit.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021...bit-insertion/

[bknight]

Good for them.

[selvaarchi]

Congratulations China . Good luck in the landing.

[selvaarchi]

China's report on their success

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/202..._139735885.htm

China's Tianwen-1 probe successfully entered the orbit around Mars on Wednesday after a nearly seven-month voyage from Earth.

A 3000N engine was ignited at 7:52 p.m. (Beijing time) to decelerate Tianwen-1, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

After about 15 minutes, the spacecraft, including an orbiter, a lander and a rover, had slowed enough to be captured by Mars' gravity and entered an elliptical orbit around the red planet, with its closest distance from the Martian surface at about 400 km. It will take Tianwen-1 about 10 Earth days to complete one circle.

The development marks China's completion of a key step in its current Mars exploration program, which is designed to complete orbiting, landing and roving in one mission, said the CNSA.

[Roger E. Moore]

Mars mission inspires growing fan base back in China. QUOTE: Cui Tingting dyed her hair Mars red for the arrival of China's spacecraft at the planet known in Chinese as the Fire Star. "This is a great era for space, and the future of mankind lies in the exploration of outer space," said Cui, director of the China Mars Society, the local chapter of a global advocacy network. She hosted an online party Wednesday night to wait for the announcement that the Tianwen-1 spacecraft, launched last July, had reached Mars orbit.

https://phys.org/news/2021-02-mars-m...ase-china.html

[Roger E. Moore]

China's Mars probe sends back video of Red Planet. Chinese scientists hope to land a 240-kilogram (530-pound) rover in May in Utopia, a massive impact basin on Mars. Its orbiter will last for a Martian year. For the three-month study of the planet's soil and atmosphere, the mission will take photos, chart maps and look for signs of past life.

https://phys.org/news/2021-02-china-...video-red.html

[selvaarchi]

"Precise braking helps China's Tianwen 1 probe enter Mars orbit"

https://www.marsdaily.com/reports/Pr...orbit_999.html

Precise braking near Mars has helped China's probe Tianwen 1 successfully enter the orbit around the red planet on Wednesday, according to the country's space scientists.

Yang Yuguang, a researcher with China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited, told the Science and Technology Daily that the braking is a key and risky step in the Mars exploration mission, which requires a high degree of accuracy.

When a probe is set to be captured by a planet's gravity, the lower its orbit is, the more fuel the engine will save. But if Tianwen 1 brakes in an orbit too close to Mars, the probe may collide with the planet's surface, given that minor errors may exist in its position measurement and control, Yang said.