Chinese Mars missions may be in trouble
Posted: Sun, Jan 15, 2023, 11:05 AM ET (1605 GMT)
China's first Mars orbiter and rover appear to be in trouble. The Zhurong rover, which went into hibernation last year during the winter season at its Utopia Planitia landing site, was expected to resume operations in December. However, according to Chinese sources, the rover has not yet made contact with controllers. While there has so far been no official comment, the rover may have been impacted by dust storms in the area that reduce the ability of the rover to generate power from its solar panels. Controllers have also experienced problems trying to contact the Tianwen-1 spacecraft orbiting Mars, which they hoped to use to communicate with Zhurong.
China's first Mars orbiter and rover appear to be in trouble. The Zhurong rover, which went into hibernation last year during the winter season at its Utopia Planitia landing site, was expected to resume operations in December. However, according to Chinese sources, the rover has not yet made contact with controllers. While there has so far been no official comment, the rover may have been impacted by dust storms in the area that reduce the ability of the rover to generate power from its solar panels. Controllers have also experienced problems trying to contact the Tianwen-1 spacecraft orbiting Mars, which they hoped to use to communicate with Zhurong.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Pentagon dismisses $1.2 trillion cost estimate for Golden Dome
Posted: Sat, May 16 9:36 AM ET (1336 GMT) Cowboy Space proposes 20,000 satellite orbital data center constellation
Posted: Sat, May 16 9:33 AM ET (1333 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Thursday, May 21
A Look Back at Hubble’s Most Breathtaking Images
Nautilus — 5:33 am ET (0933 GMT) Greenlight for next two ESA Scout missions
ESA — 5:33 am ET (0933 GMT) The SpaceX S-1 filing is packed with eye-popping deadlines. Here are the most important ones.
Business Insider — 5:31 am ET (0931 GMT) Germany touts pan-German space command amid European push to supplant US tech
Defense News — 5:30 am ET (0930 GMT) Acquisition reform ‘necessary’ but ‘not sufficient,’ U.S. Space Force official says
Aerospace America — 5:29 am ET (0929 GMT) |
