China Successfully Launched Its First Mars Mission,Tianwen 1

A LM-5 carrier rocket lifted off from the Wenchang spacecraft launch site at 12:41 Beijing time on July 23,launching the Tianwen 1 Mars probe into its preset orbit,making Chin's first step in planetary exploration to Mars.This was the first practical launch of the LM-5.

The Tianwen 1 Mars probe consists of a lander and an orbiter.The lander includes an entry capsule and a rover.

After 7 months in an Earth-Mars transfer orbit,Tianwen-1 will slow down when closes to Mars,enter Mars orbit,and then conduct landing and roving missions,as well as Mars scientific exploration.

44 Mars missions have been launched since the 1960s,but only 18 missions have succeeded with a success rate of 18%.

With the success of this mission,China will become the first country in the world that realizes Mars orbiting,landing and roving through one mission,as well as the second country in the world to realize landing and roving of a Mars probe.

The LM-5 is capable of carrying a payload of 14 tons into geostationary transfer orbit,representing the advanced level of scientific and technological innovation of the launch vehicle in China,and laying a solid foundation for the smooth implementation of major projects such as for lunar exploration,deep space exploration and manned spaceflight.

Mars is the fourth planet from the sun.It is adjacent and has the most similar environment to the Earth,thus is the first choice for human beings to explore out of the Earth-moon system.Rich achievements have been made in international Mars exploration,evidence that there was water,and even now there is water have been found,which has greatly aroused the enthusiasm of people to find life on Mars.Mars has become a hot spot for international deep space exploration.

Both the LM-5 carrier rocket and the Mars probe were developed by CASC.

This was the 340th mission of the LM series launch vehicle.(CHEN Li,ZHAO Cong/China Space News)

The LM-5 carrier rocket is soaring up into space,launching the Tianwen 1 Mars probe into orbitPhoto:SHI Xiao