On May 14, 2021, China's Tianwen-1 lander landed on Mars, confirming China's capability in planetary exploration as the second nation to achieve such a feat. The mission included the deployment of the Zhurong rover. Tianwen-3, planned for late 2028, aims to collect Martian samples using two Long March 5 rockets. This mission seeks to bring back Martian material to Earth for analysis on potential signs of life, which could redefine our understanding of existence and our place in the cosmos.
On May 14, 2021, China's Tianwen-1 lander plummeted from space to streak through the skies above Mars's vast plain of Utopia Planitia, confirming China as a major player in planetary exploration.
With Tianwen-1's touchdown, China became the only other nation ever to successfully land on Mars besides the U.S., paving the way for the Tianwen-3 mission aimed at collecting samples.
Tianwen-3 is set to launch via two Long March 5 rockets from Wenchang spaceport in late 2028, aiming to bring back Martian rock and soil samples to Earth.
Li Yiliang, a professor of astrobiology at the University of Hong Kong, states that Tianwen-3 will be the first mission aiming to bring back material from another planet to search for signs of life.
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