2020 Chinese Mars Mission

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 2020 (proposed)[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 2020 with a Long March 5 heavy lift rocket.[2][3][4]

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.[5]

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.[2] This Mars mission would be a demonstration of technology needed for a Mars sample return mission proposed for the 2030s.[2] The lander carrying the rover will use a parachute, retrorockets, and an airbag to achieve landing.[6]

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 on:[2]

Orbiter
Rover

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "China Exclusive: China's aim to explore Mars". Xinhua News. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
  2. 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.
  3. ↑ Berger, Eric (22 February 2016). "China pressing ahead with orbiter and lander mission to Mars". ARS Technica. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  4. ↑ Lu, Shen (4 November 2016). "China says it plans to land rover on Mars in 2020". CNN News. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Jones, Andrew (21 March 2016). "China reveals more details of its 2020 Mars mission". GB Times. Retrieved 2016-03-22.
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