Madrid, 26 (Europe Press)
The first Chinese spacecraft on Mars, slated to appear in May from the Tianwen 1 orbiter, has been named Zhurong, the fire god from ancient Chinese mythology.
According to the Chinese space agency, CNSA, the name matches the Chinese name for the red planet, Huoxing (which means fire planet in Chinese).
“The fire brought warmth and glow to the ancestors of mankind, and the fires lit up human civilization. The naming of the first Chinese spacecraft on Mars after the God of Fire means igniting the flame of planetary exploration in China,” said Wu Yanhua, deputy director of the China National Space Agency. Xinhua quotes.
Literally, Zhu (which means desire in Chinese) expresses his good wishes for humanity’s exploration of the universe. Wu said Rong (which means integration and cooperation in Chinese) reflects China’s vision of the peaceful use of space and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
China launched the Mars probe, Tianwen-1, on July 23, 2020. The spacecraft, consisting of an orbiter, a vehicle and a vehicle, entered the Mars parking orbit on February 24.
Landing in May
The most challenging part of the mission will be the easy landing in May, an autonomous probe operation that will take seven to eight minutes. The probe will use its aerodynamic shape, parachute and retrospective missile to slow and cushion the legs upon landing, according to CNSA.
Chinese space scientists and engineers have chosen a relatively flat area in the southern part of Utopia Planetia, a large plain, as a possible landing area.
Previous research has shown that a possible landing site could be the edge of an ancient ocean or lake in the early history of Mars. Chinese scientists hope to find more evidence of water ice.
The scientific objectives of Tianwen-1 include mapping of morphology and geological structure, investigation of surface soil properties and distribution of water ice, analysis of surface material composition, measurement of the ionosphere, and climate and environment properties. Mars’ environment on the surface, perception of the physical spheres and the internal structure of Mars.
The probe is equipped with seven types of scientific instruments: two remote sensing cameras, a subsurface exploration radar orbiting Mars, a Mars mineralogy spectrometer, a Mars magnetometer, a Mars ion particle analyzer, and an active Mars particle analyzer.
