China's Mars probe, Long March-5 carrier rocket arrive at launch site

China's Long March-5 carrier rocket and Mars probe at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province, ready to be transferred to the outdoor launch pad, July 17, 2020. /CGTN

China's Mars probe, along with its Long March-5 Y4 carrier rocket, arrived at the launch pad at Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern Hainan Province on Friday morning, ready for the Tianwen-1 Mars mission scheduled between late July and early August.

In the next few days, engineers and technicians will complete the final checks and preparations for China's first Mars exploration mission.

The Mars probe includes an orbiter, a lander and a rover. The journey to Mars will take six to seven months, and the probe is expected to reach the Red Planet around February 2021.

The Long March-5 carrier rocket is transferred to the launch pad in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, July 17, 2020. /CGTN

The Long March-5 carrier rocket at the launch pad in Wenchang, South China's Hainan Province, July 17, 2020. /CCTV

China aims to complete the orbiting, landing and exploration of Mars on one single launch, a feat never before achieved by any other country.

The Tianwen-1 mission will be the first practical launch of the Long March-5 series rocket, China's largest carrier rocket.

CGTN

(CGTN's Wu Lei also contributed to the story.)