This second one is Chinese, called Tianwen-1. ('Tianwen' means 'Heavenly Questions', I like it.) The first in the current flurry of Mars missions was the UAE Hope Mars orbiter that got off successfully from Japan on Sunday. The third act is the headliner, NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance next Thursday. So each of the three get progressively more ambitious.
Tianwen-1's launch window is from Midnight to 3:00 AM EDT Thursday morning July 23. (9:00 PM - Midnight Wednesday night PDT, 4:00 - 7:00 Thursday UTC) It isn't going to be livestreamed (it's China, they don't typically do that). There may be private Chinese outside the launch site on Hainan Island posting photos of the ascending rocket on the internet, but it would be Chinese social media and the photos may be taken down quickly as they aren't officially authorized.
Tianwen-1 is China's first interplanetary mission and first attempt at a Mars lander/rover.
It consists of a large Mars orbiter that will arrive in February 2021 with cameras and instruments. Then two months later in April 2021 it will release a lander that will attempt to land on Mars' surface. Landing on Mars is very difficult and only the US has had consistent success doing it. If the Chinese lander succeeds, it will release a small rover to roll around and examine geological features. Meanwhile the orbiter will continue to photograph Mars from orbit and will act as a communications relay for the rover.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/07/...wen1-mars/
Rocket has been fueled and the countdown is proceeding.
Tianwen-1's launch window is from Midnight to 3:00 AM EDT Thursday morning July 23. (9:00 PM - Midnight Wednesday night PDT, 4:00 - 7:00 Thursday UTC) It isn't going to be livestreamed (it's China, they don't typically do that). There may be private Chinese outside the launch site on Hainan Island posting photos of the ascending rocket on the internet, but it would be Chinese social media and the photos may be taken down quickly as they aren't officially authorized.
Tianwen-1 is China's first interplanetary mission and first attempt at a Mars lander/rover.
It consists of a large Mars orbiter that will arrive in February 2021 with cameras and instruments. Then two months later in April 2021 it will release a lander that will attempt to land on Mars' surface. Landing on Mars is very difficult and only the US has had consistent success doing it. If the Chinese lander succeeds, it will release a small rover to roll around and examine geological features. Meanwhile the orbiter will continue to photograph Mars from orbit and will act as a communications relay for the rover.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/07/...wen1-mars/
Rocket has been fueled and the countdown is proceeding.