20767 Ivana (neregistrovaný) 21.02.2021, 22:04:50.
China's Tianwen-1 Mars mission adjusts orbit to prepare for a Red Planet landing
China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft now orbiting Mars is slated to perform systematic checks of onboard equipment after adjusting its orbit in preparations for the country's first Martian landing attempt later this year.
The Tianwen-1 orbiter used its 3,000-newton engine on Feb. 15 to place itself into a polar orbit around the Red Planet. Tipping the scales at 5 metric tons, Tianwen-1 — consisting of an orbiter, lander and rover — will perform several more orbital adjustments before placing itself into a parking orbit from which the orbiter will perform an initial survey of candidate landing areas.
Sometime in May or June, the Mars orbiter will be briefly placed in a deorbit and entry arc to release the landing capsule, replete with the as-yet-unnamed Tianwen-1 rover. The rover will egress from the lander onto the Martian surface a few days after touchdown, following an appraisal of the surrounding terrain.
For at least 92 Martian days (or about 95 Earth days), the rover will conduct high resolution, on-the-spot surveys of Mars.
By Leonard David 17 February 2021
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