Space Thread
- Thread starter B00Mer
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China's Tianwen-1 Mars probe is set to land on Utopia Planitia, the largest plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
The predetermined landing site is at an altitude of minus 4,600 meters, much lower than the planet's average elevation, making it conducive to the landing of the spacecraft.
The landing process will rely completely on the probe's own judgments and the pre-set landing procedure.
Scientists hold that Utopia Planitia was probably once an ocean. This makes it highly valuable for scientific research.
China launched the Tianwen-1 on July 23, 2020. The spacecraft consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover. It has been conducting scientific surveys in space since Feb 26.
It is the year 36 on Mars. A Martian year is around twice as long as Earth's and we measure Martian years as a date from 24th May 1953. So year 1 on Mars was from that date to 11th April 1955. The latest New Year on Mars was on 7th February when it became the year 36 and year 37 will begin on 26th December 2022.
