Tianwen-3
| Mission type | Mars sample return |
|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | CAST |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2028 (planned) |
| Rocket | Orbiter/Earth-returner: Long March 5 Lander/ascent-vehicle: Long March 5 |
| Launch site | Wenchang |
Tianwen-3 (Chinese: 天问三号) is a planned Mars sample-return mission by China which would send two spacecraft (an orbiter/Earth-returner and a lander/ascent-vehicle) via two separate launches to Mars. Together, the two spacecraft will seek to obtain samples of Martian rocks and soil and then return the cached samples to Earth.[1] The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028.[2]
Overview
[edit]In summer 2022 during a deep space exploration technology forum held at Nanjing University, Sun Zezhou, chief designer of the Tianwen-1 mission, detailed plans for the mission based on a two-launch architecture. The mission constitutes part of the Tianwen series of space missions.[1][3]
The current mission architecture envisions two launches around 2028[4][5] by the Long March 5 carrier rocket. One launch will send an orbiter/return-vehicle. A second launch will send a lander/ascent-vehicle.
Once the lander arrives on the Martian surface it will collect surface samples, possibly via a drill on the lander and an autonomous mobile robot with multiple legs.[3] After several months on the Martian surface and after storing the samples collected by the lander and mobile robot, the ascent vehicle will launch from atop the lander and rendezvous with the waiting orbiter. The ascent vehicle will transfer the collected samples to the orbiter/return-vehicle, which will depart for Earth. The samples will be returned to Earth via an atmospheric reentry vehicle.[6]
The main goal of the mission is search for life signatures. In 2024, scientists identified 51 potential landing sites.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Elizabeth Howell (2022-06-21). "China plans to return Mars samples to Earth in 2031: report". Space.com. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (2024-09-05). "China to launch Mars sample return mission in 2028, will follow planetary protection guidelines". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ a b Jones, Andrew (2022-06-20). "China aims to bring Mars samples to Earth 2 years before NASA, ESA mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ Josh Dinner (2023-04-28). "China just might add a helicopter and 6-legged robot to Mars sample-return mission". Space.com. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (2024-03-08). "China targets 2030 for Mars sample return mission, potential landing areas revealed". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (15 September 2022). "Tianwen-3: China's Mars sample return mission". The Planetary Society. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
- ^ Hou, Zengqian; Liu, Jizhong; Xu, Yigang; Pang, Fuchuan; Wang, Yuming; Qin, Liping; Liu, Yang; Zhao, Yu-Yan Sara; Wei, Guangfei; Xu, Mengjiao; Jiang, Kun; Hao, Chuanpeng; Ji, Shichao; Zhu, Renzhi; Yu, Bingkun; Liu, Jia; Sheng, Zhenfeng; Wang, Juntao; Zhang, Chaolin; Li, Yiliang (2024). "The search for life signatures on Mars by the Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission". National Science Review. 11 (11): nwae313. doi:10.1093/nsr/nwae313. PMC 11540159. PMID 39507622.
External links
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