China is investing billions in its ambitious space program. Having recently reached Mars, the Tianwen-1 probe is now transmitting its first video of the planet. However, the most complicated part of the mission is yet to come.
Two days after entering Mars orbit, China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft has radioed video footage of the Red Planet to Earth. The footage, released by state television, shows the surface of Mars covered in craters. Tianwen-1 had reached orbit around Mars on Wednesday after a seven-month journey.
In May or June, the probe is expected to land a rover that will explore Mars for about three months. The vehicle, which weighs a good 200 kilograms, will examine the atmosphere and soil of the Red Planet, take pictures and contribute to mapping the surface.
The flight is considered one of the most difficult China has ever undertaken. Landing is a major challenge because, unlike the Moon, Mars has its own atmosphere. Out of 18 landing attempts on Mars, only 10 have been successful - 9 by the U.S. alone. Russia succeeded in landing in 1971, but contact broke off 20 seconds after touchdown.
The People's Republic has invested billions in recent years to catch up with the U.S., Russia and Europe in space travel. In early 2019, the People's Republic scored a major success when it landed a probe on the far side of the moon from Earth for the first time ever. By next year, China wants to build its own space station and create a manned lunar mission by 2030.
