China announces target launch date for its Tianwen-1 Mars rover
The new colonial movement: According to a new report out of Singapore, China has set July 20-25 as the launch window for its Mars orbiter/lander/rover mission, dubbed Tianwen-1.
Should they meet this date, it means they will launch before Perseverance, arriving at Mars about the same time, in February 2021. And like Perseverance, this launch window closes this summer, and if they can’t meet it they will have to wait two years.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
The new colonial movement: According to a new report out of Singapore, China has set July 20-25 as the launch window for its Mars orbiter/lander/rover mission, dubbed Tianwen-1.
Should they meet this date, it means they will launch before Perseverance, arriving at Mars about the same time, in February 2021. And like Perseverance, this launch window closes this summer, and if they can’t meet it they will have to wait two years.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
A late post, but I was finally able to see this probe and it is the spitting image of MER-A and MER-B. Better known as Spirit and Opportunity.
Jay: Do you have a link to these pictures?
If they are as you say, that would provide strong evidence that the Chinese made good use of the hacking they did at JPL over several years.
Bob,
Here is some links to some rover pictures: https://www.periodicodaily.com/tianwen-1-la-cina-si-prepara-ad-approdare-su-marte/ Sorry it is in Portuguese, the pics are there.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Mars_Global_Remote_Sensing_Orbiter_and_Small_Rover_at_IAC_Bremen_2018_02.jpg
Lander tests: https://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/china-names-its-first-mars-mission-tianwen1-1587720978-1
They are using retro rockets and an airbag for landing. It looks like a copy to me.
Jay: It bears a strong resemblance, but there are differences. My guess is they stole JPL’s info, but this was insufficient to make an exact copy. And they also probably decided they didn’t want to make an exact copy because it would reveal the theft. They have probably added some refinements based on their experience with Yutu-2, as well as changes based on their own needs.
Bob,
True, it is not a “spitting image” of Spirit and Opportunity, but as soon as I saw it that was the first thought in my mind. I will call it a “knockoff” of the design.