Beijing:
China’s national space agency on Thursday published higher-resolution photos of Mars captured by the country’s Tianwen-1 probe, which is at the moment orbiting the Red planet.
These photos involve two panchromatic view and one colour image, stated the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
The panchromatic photos have been taken by the higher-resolution camera of China’s spacecraft, Tianwen-1 which means Questions to Heaven, at a distance of 330 to 350 km above the surface of Mars.
In the photos, Martian landforms such as smaller craters, mountain ridges and dunes are clearly visible. It is estimated that the diameter of the biggest influence crater in the photos is about 620 meters, state-run Xinhua news agency reported quoting CNSA statement.
China launched Tianwen-1 on July 23, 2020. The spacecraft, consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, entered the parking orbit about Mars on February 24.
It has flown for 224 days and about 475 million kms. Currently, it is about 212 million km away from Earth, according to CNSA.
It entered its pre-set parking orbit above Mars on February 24 and would fly in this orbit for about 3 months just before releasing its landing capsule.
The Tianwen 1 mission’s ultimate aim is to land a rover in May or June on the southern component of Mars’ Utopia Planitia — a huge plain inside Utopia, the biggest recognised influence basin in the solar technique — to conduct scientific surveys, state-run China Daily reported.
Weighing about 240 kilograms, the rover, which is but to be named, has six wheels and 4 solar panels and is capable to move 200 meters per hour on Mars.
It carries six scientific instruments like multispectral camera, ground-penetrating radar and meteorological measurer, and is anticipated to work about 3 months on the planet.
Spacecraft of UAE, US and China have lately entered the Mars orbit. NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars on February 18 right after virtually seven months travelling from Earth.
Since then, it has sent back some striking photos from about its landing internet site, Jezero Crater.
The UAE orbiter named Hope will study the Martian atmosphere and climate.
Previously US, Russia, EU in addition to India have succeeded in sending spacecraft to Mars regarded as the most complicated space mission. India became the initial Asian nation to have effectively launched its Mars orbiter mission Mangalyaan which entered the orbit of the red planet in 2014.
India also became the initial nation to have entered the Martian orbit in its initial try.
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