The first Chinese rover on Mars!

The solar powered, wireless rover known as Zhurong was sent in orbit towards Mars on the fourteenth of May 2021. The rover weighs about 240kg (about the weight of a cow). At that weight it could crash, but it did not as its efficient parachute system slowed the falling. Scientists are hoping to get at least 90 Martian days of service out of Zhurong, one Martian day is 24h 39m.

The rover has a camera to see the landscape and send back photos. Five additional instruments will observe the mineralogy of local rocks and the general nature of the environment, including the weather.

According to Jonathan Amos, the Science Correspondent at BBC, “just like the current American rovers (Curiosity and Perseverance), Zhurong has a laser tool to zap rocks to assess their chemistry. It also has a radar to look for sub-surface, water and ice a capability it shares with Perseverance.”

The rover is exploring a Martian region known as Utopia Planitia.

The nature of Mars' atmosphere means noises do not sound quite the same as they do on Earth. They seem muffled. This means that from earth the sound of the starting motor, and wheels would not be heard very well.

Zhurong is like the latest US rovers, Spirit and Opportunity.

What may they find, these mars rovers.