World News | China's Space Probe Performs Orbital Adjustment Around Mars

Beijing, Feb 15 (PTI) China's Tianwen-1 probe on Monday performed an orbital manoeuvre around Mars, days after it successfully entered the orbit around the red planet capping a nearly seven-month voyage from Earth.

Ahead of China's probe, the UAE's Hope probe made it safely into the orbit of Mars on Tuesday. US space agency NASA will attempt to put another of its big rovers on the surface on the red planet on Thursday.

A 3000N engine Tianwen-1 probe was ignited at 5 pm (Beijing time) on Monday to ensure the probe's trajectory passes the poles of Mars, China National Space Administration (CNSA) said.

The spacecraft will perform several more orbital adjustments to enter a parking orbit, said the CNSA.

The probe, including an orbiter, a lander and a rover, successfully entered the Mars orbit on February 10 after a nearly seven-month voyage from Earth.

The lander carrying the rover is expected to land on Mars in May or June.

Chinese space engineers and scientists have chosen a relatively flat region in the southern part of Utopia Planitia, a large plain, as a potential landing zone.

The rover will be released after landing to conduct scientific exploration, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)