China successfully launches first Mars mission

CONTRIBUTION TO MANKIND

Mars is at the forefront of international deep space exploration, Geng said. Mars exploration could help improve human ability to go deeper into space and provide first-hand data for major scientific research such as the origin and evolution of the solar system and life.

“Previous explorations have found evidence of water on the planet. Does this indicate there is or was life on Mars, or Mars is the past or the future of Earth? These questions are key goals of Mars research and are of great significance in understanding life and the evolution of Earth,” Geng said.

Mars is also a priority target for manned landing missions other than the moon, as it can be reached using existing space capabilities and its environment is closest to Earth in the solar system, Geng said.

The mission will spur the enthusiasm of Chinese scientists to study other planets and make unique contributions to scientific progress, he said.

Pushing forward deep space exploration with Mars as the starting point could help promote China’s development through innovation, he added.

Mars exploration is innovative and challenging. It needs basic technologies concerning materials, components, structures and instruments for extreme environmental conditions. It needs breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation, precise control, as well as remote measurement, control and communication technologies.

Through transformation and application, these new technologies will help improve human life, and set new frontiers for social development by driving leaps in fields such as science and technology, ideology and culture, he said.

“Earth is the cradle of humanity, but we cannot stay in the cradle forever. It’s important we have the ability to get out. Only by learning to fly, can we have a better future,” said Li Dapeng, a spaceflight enthusiast from north China’s Hebei Province.

“The mission requires tens of thousands of steps operated correctly for complete success, quite a test for engineers and technicians. It might fail on the first try, but let’s hope we’re lucky,” Li said.

Han Hongxu, a tourist from Guangzhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province, brought his son to Wenchang to watch the launch.

Han believed flying to Mars is the most courageous and romantic human achievement. “Like loving a person, you run to the lover, regardless of the difficulties and dangers, regardless of how far and whether you have a future together,” he said.

UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES

China is a latecomer in planetary exploration. Chinese space experts do not want the goal of exploration to be reached easily. China’s Mars exploration does not repeat the paths of other countries.

“We hope the mission will be innovative and help push forward scientific and technological development,” Geng said.

However, the challenges are also unprecedented.

Although China has achieved a series of successes in lunar exploration with four probes to the moon, Mars poses new difficulties for Chinese spacecraft designers.

More than 40 Mars missions have been launched since the 1960s, but only about half have succeeded. The success rate for landing is even lower, and only the United States has succeeded in a soft landing on Mars.

“We only have a limited understanding of Mars. There are still many uncertainties about the environment and great risks,” said Geng.

If China can succeed in orbiting, landing and roving with Tianwen-1, it will take the challenge of collecting and bringing back samples in the next Mars mission, as well as exploring asteroids and the Jovian system, Geng added.

OPEN TO COOPERATION

The Mars mission has attracted active participation of non-governmental research agencies, with more than 600 domestic organizations joining the development of the probe system alone.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Macao University of Science and Technology helped develop cameras for the project, and scientists from Hong Kong and Macao were also involved in the scientific research.

Extensive international cooperation has also been carried out.

China works with the European Space Agency and Argentina in the mission’s measurement and control, and with France and Austria in the calibration of multiple payloads and data analysis.

“Scientists from all sides have been in close contact, making active preparations for early and quick research results,” Geng said.

Norbert Paluch, space counselor of the French Embassy in China, said that deep space exploration is one of the biggest challenges for mankind, and it makes sense to do it together. He believes everybody on Earth will learn a lot from what China will discover.

Source: Xinhua