21.05.2021 – 08:42
After successfully landing on Mars at the weekend, Chinese rover Zhurong broadcast the first images on Earth today. “All systems were functioning normally,” state media reported.
One of the images shows the rover shortly after it landed on the Red Planet, while another shows the separation of Zhurong from the Tianwen-1 spacecraft, according to China’s space agency. The landing module touched the surface of Mars on Saturday, making China the second country to successfully land on Earth’s neighbor.
The Tianwen-1 took off from Earth on July 23 and reached orbit in February. The flight was one of the most difficult China has ever undertaken. Landing was a big challenge, as Mars has its own atmosphere, unlike the Moon. If all goes according to plan, rover Zhurong, named after the Chinese god of fire, will investigate the Red Planet for at least three months.
