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KOMPAS.com- China re-engraved history with his successful landing spacecraft his first on Mars, Saturday (15/5/2021). This moment marks another of the country’s achievements in exploration outer space.
After landing, the spacecraft named Zhurong The plan is to spend several days at the landing point for diagnostic tests before exploring an area of Mars known as the Utopia Planitia.
Zhurong will then join the American rover which arrives on the red planet in February.
“China has left its mark on Mars for the first time. This is an important step for our space exploration,” wrote the official Xinhua news agency on one of its social media accounts when announcing. Zhurong landing.
So far, three countries have successfully landed spacecraft on Mars. The United States has successfully made nine landings on planet Mars since 1976.
Also read: This is the first photo of Mars captured by China’s Tianwen-1 spacecraft
The USSR landed on Mars in 1971, but the mission failed after the probe stopped sending information after the landing.
Landing on the surface of the planet Mars is arguably a much more difficult job.
Spacecraft must use shields to protect against the searing heat when it enters the Martian atmosphere and use retro rockets and parachutes to slow down the landings.
Parachutes and rockets must also be deployed at the right time in order to land at the designated place.
Then the spacecraft will hover about 100 meters above the surface to identify obstacles before landing on four legs.
Also read: 3 Mission to Mars in July, What Will NASA, China and the United Arab Emirates Do?
“Each step only has one chance and everything is interrelated. If there is a shortage then the landing will fail,” said Geng Yan, an administrative official. Outer Space Chinese National to Xinhua, as quoted from Phys, Monday (17/5/2021).
This achievement also received a positive response from various parties, one of which was NASA Associate Administrator Thomas Zurbunchen who congratulated him through his jokes on social media.
“Together with the global science community, I look forward to the important contribution this mission will make to mankind’s understanding of the Red Planet,” wrote Zurbunchen.
Zhurong is expected to carry out his 90-day mission to find evidence of life on Mars.
The rover the size of a small car has a ground penetrating radar, laser, and sensors to measure the atmosphere and magnetic fields.
Also read: Space Station Launch Competition Begins, After Russia Now China
Apart from the race to Mars, China is also preparing another space exploration mission.
Recently, China launched the main module used for the Chinese space station.
The delivery of the module is the first of 11 missions planned to build their space station.
Furthermore, China hopes to send three crew members by the end of next year. In addition, several projects related to outer space are reportedly being developed by China.
Also read: This is the first photo of Mars captured by China’s Tianwen-1 spacecraft
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