This Week in History

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CWA # 1410, 28 July 2024
This Week in History
23 July 2020: China Launches its First Mission to Mars

  Shreya Jagadeesan

On 23 July 2020, China successfully launched its first mission to Mars, Tianwen-1, from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Hainan Island. The chief engineer of tianwen-1, Zhang Rongqiao said “Today’s successful launch of Tianwen-1 marks a new beginning for China’s planetary exploration. We have achieved an important step forward, and we will continue to work hard to ensure the success of the mission’s subsequent phases.” 

China’s Space Odyssey to Mars
On 24 April 2020, the China National Space Administration officially announced ‘Tianwen-1,’ meaning “Questions to heaven.” China has achieved significant milestones, including manned space flights and multiple moon missions. 

The launch of Tianwen-1, China's Mars mission, marks a new phase in the country's space exploration ventures, expanding its focus from the Moon to Mars. In January 2016, the CNSA announced plans to launch a Mars mission as part of their 13th five-year space exploration plan. Although China had previously engaged in collaborations with other space agencies for their plans, this mission was carried out independently, without external assistance. 

Tianwen 1 was the first Chinese mission to Mars which successfully landed on the Martian rover on the first try. This made China the third country to soft-land on the surface of Mars after the Soviet Union in 1971 and the US in 1976. It also became the second country to operate on the mission for a long time as the soviet program had never succeeded in operating anything despite multiple launches.

The Mars Mission
The Tianwen-1 mission had three key objectives: an orbital flight, landing and rover exploration, and scientific study. They wanted to map the Martian surface, study soil samples, look for water indicators, and learn about the climate conditions. All of which they accomplished during the mission. 

To guarantee the lander and rover's safe entry on Mars, Tianwen-1 used a landing strategy that included a precise landing system. They also discovered water ice on the Martian surface, crucial for future human missions. The mission was initially only intended to last three months, ending in mid-June 2021. However, it was able to consistently prolong the program. Since its landing in utopia Planitia in May 2021, the Zhurong rover has covered about 2 kilometers. They succeeded in achieving all of their main goals during this period, but in May 2022 the rover went into sleep mode to withstand the severe winter conditions on Mars, which included minimal solar radiation.

It was supposed to resume in December 2022, but because Martian dust accumulated on its solar panel and thermal windows which are essential for producing electricity and sustaining operating temperatures it remained inactive.

Tianwen 1 became the first mission to Mars to effectively combine an orbiter, a lander, and a rover as a part of one mission. It demonstrated that challenging Mars missions are achievable, which altered the direction of future mission designs and goals.In reaction to Tianwen-1's success, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) reevaluated and enhanced their plans for Mars exploration. 

About the author
Shreya Jagadeesan is an undergraduate student of Journalism, International Relations, and Peace Studies at St Joseph’s University, Bangalore. 

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