Download
China's Zhurong rover starts traversing complex terrain on Mars, traveling over 700 m
Updated 12:15, 30-Jul-2021
CGTN

Translating...

Content is automatically generated by Microsoft Azure Translator Text API. CGTN is not responsible for any of the translations.

China's Mars rover Zhurong. /China Media Group

China's Mars rover Zhurong. /China Media Group

China's Zhurong rover has started traversing a complex terrain area on Mars with rocks, impact craters and sand dunes, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

As of Friday, Zhurong has been working on the Martian surface for 75 Martian days, traveling a total of 708 meters, the CNSA said.

A Martian day is approximately 40 minutes longer than a day on Earth.

Last week, the rover traveled to a dune and conducted scientific detection there. After completing the exploration of the topography, it will continue to move southwards and is expected to reach a complex terrain this week with rocks, impact craters and dunes densely distributed.

An image of the complex terrain taken by Zhurong. /CNSA

An image of the complex terrain taken by Zhurong. /CNSA

The ground crew will use the daily images of the navigation terrain they've got to complete the rover's visual positioning and route planning, and steer the rover to safely traverse the complex terrain.

When it meets a scientific target, the rover will conduct probe with the scientific payloads it carries, and obtain scientific data during the journey.

The Chinese orbiter which serves as a relay satellite communication satellite for the country's current Tianwen-1 Mars mission. /China Media Group

The Chinese orbiter which serves as a relay satellite communication satellite for the country's current Tianwen-1 Mars mission. /China Media Group

The orbiter, which serves as a relay satellite communication satellite for the Mars mission, has been working in orbit for 372 days.

The rover and the orbiter are both in good condition, with each subsystem in normal operation.

China's Tianwen-1 mission, consisting of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover, was launched on July 23, 2020. The lander carrying the rover landed in the southern part of Utopia Planitia, a vast plain on the northern hemisphere of Mars, on May 15 this year.

TOP NEWS
China says it opposes any tariff deals at expense of own interests
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

China

05:25, 21-Apr-2025

China, Azerbaijan eye broad prospects for cooperation
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

Politics

12:41, 21-Apr-2025

China, Indonesia vow higher-level ties, deepened security cooperation
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

Politics

12:58, 21-Apr-2025

Search Trends