Visitors pass by an exhibition depicting rovers on Mars in Beijing (AP)China has landed a spacecraft on Mars for the first time, a feat more technically challenging than a moon landing, in the latest step forward for the country’s ambitious goals in space. A rover and a tiny helicopter from the American landing in February are currently exploring Mars. Only mini-retro rockets are required for a moon landing, and parachutes alone are sufficient for returning to Earth. Congratulations to CNSA’s #Tianwen1 team for the successful landing of China’s first Mars exploration rover, #Zhurong! The Tianwen-1 spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since February, when it arrived after a six and a half month journey from Earth.

Source: Irish Independent May 15, 2021 09:14 UTC