Space and astronomy news
Remember the stunning video of the Perseverance rover landing on Mars? The Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) has now released similar video footage from its Zhurong rover, including the sounds recorded as it plummeted through the Martian atmosphere on its way to landing in Utopia Planitia. The CNSA also released sounds of the rover driving …
Continue reading “China Releases Sound and Video of its Rover Landing”
New images from orbit and from Mars’ surface show the Zhurong rover on the move. China’s National Space Administration (CNSA) released new pictures and video this week, and NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has followed the rover’s movements from above. The image above shows wheel tracks left behind by the Zhurong rover.
The Chinese Tianwen-1 lander and Zhurong rover are being watched, both from Mars’ orbit and from the surface! The Chinese Space Agency today released a series of photos, including a family portrait of the rover and lander taken by a wireless remote camera. And just look at that cute rover face!
China’s Zhurong rover has departed from its lander and commenced science operations, and has the pictures to prove it!
The first pictures from a Chinese probe on the surface of Mars were released May 19, sparking a plea from NASA’s recently appointed chief for more funding to keep America in the lead on the space frontier. China’s Zhurong rover, which landed on the Red Planet on May 14, sent back pictures as it sat atop its …
Continue reading “Pictures From China’s Mars Rover Fuel NASA Chief’s Funding Pitch to Congress”
According to a new animation, it appears that China is hoping to build a Starship of its own, one that can provide intercontinental flights for paying customers.
Early on Thursday, a Long March 5B rocket – currently the most powerful of China’s space launch vehicles – blasted off from Wenchang, carrying the first major component of an ambitious new modular space station. The station module, dubbed Tianhe (Harmony of the Heavens), marks the next big step in China’s human spaceflight program in …
Continue reading “China Launches the Core Module of Its New Space Station”
China’s proposed next-generation rocket reached the final stage of feasibility studies this month. The planned launch vehicle, known as the Long March-9, will be capable of sending 100 tons to the Moon, and could see its first launch as early as 2030. Announced in 2018, the Long March-9 will play a key role in China’s …
Continue reading “China’s Super-Heavy Lift Rocket Will Carry 100 Tons to the Moon”
Some lucky astronomers get to work with some of the rarest material in the world. Real Martian meteorites are extraordinarily rare, but are invaluable in terms of understanding Martian geology. Now, one of the most famous meteorites, nicknamed “Black Beauty”, is helping shed light on a much more speculative area of science: Martian biology.
Now that the UAE’s Hope spacecraft and China’sTianwen-1 have successfully reached the Red Planet, next up is NASA’s Perseverance rover, set to land on February 18th. Ten operational spacecraft are currently in orbit or on the surface of Mars, ready to welcome the new rover. But one spacecraft in particular, the InSight lander, will be …
Continue reading “InSight is Going to Try and “Hear” Perseverance Land on Mars From 3,452 km Away”