Chinese language Mars rover not transferring
The Chinese language Mars rover Zhurong seems to not have moved for about six months. Has its mission ended? There’s been no official phrase in regards to the rover from CNSA – the Chinese language space company – since Could of 2022. That’s when the rover entered a dormant state in anticipation of a protracted, chilly and dusty Martian winter.
Information of the rover’s obvious demise comes not from the Chinese language space company that launched it, however from scientists working NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. A collection of three images from the HiRISE digital camera – which appears to be like down on Mars’ floor from above – confirms that the rover was nonetheless on the transfer between March 11 and September 8, 2002.
However a 3rd picture – taken this month, on February 7, 2023 – exhibits the Zhurong rover hasn’t moved since September. That’s even supposing CNSA indicated it might be again in motion on the finish of 2022.
NASA scientists launched the pictures on February 21.
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Rover tracks reveal Mars’ secrets and techniques
The Lunar and Planetary Laboratory on the College of Arizona launched a composite of three photos taken by the HiRISE (Excessive Decision Imagery Science Experiment) because it sailed over the floor of the crimson planet aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The College of Arizona oversees the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, in conjunction with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at CalTech and NASA. Researchers there acquired the pictures as a result of, as they stated, the best way rovers and different craft disturb Mars’ floor supplies essential information:
HiRISE is commonly used to look at modifications to dust-covered areas close to Mars floor missions. The blast zones round landings or tracks left by rovers may help scientists infer what the properties of floor supplies are like.
The composite picture from HiRISE was launched Tuesday (February 21, 2023). HiRISE’s overseers stated that the digital camera’s imagery is essentially the most detailed ever captured of one other planet, with every pixel representing about 12 inches (30 cm).
Chinese language rover on Mars
After a 202-day journey, the China Nationwide House Company’s (CNSA) Tianwen-1 mission to Mars entered orbit on February 10, 2021. The probe produced gorgeous video of its arrival:
So, here is fairly a superb video of Tianwen-1 passing Mars because it enters orbit (CNSA/PEC) pic.twitter.com/nUbzhizi0O
— Andrew Jones (@AJ_FI) February 12, 2021
The Zhurong rover touched down at Utopia Planitia – an in depth open plain in Mars’ northern hemisphere that will have been attributable to a big influence – three months later in Could. It gathered topographical, geological, soil, mineral and rock information at the very least till a deliberate power-down a yr afterward Could 18, 2022.
The final official phrase in regards to the Zhurong rover from CNSA was:
In response to the decreased energy era capability of the solar wings attributable to sand and dust climate and the extraordinarily low ambient temperature in winter, in keeping with the design plan and flight management technique, the Mars rover entered sleep mode on Could 18. It’s anticipated that round December this yr, the “Zhurong” inspection space will enter the early spring season, and regular work will resume after the environmental situations enhance.
However the rover’s work has not resumed, at the very least not up to now.
It’s price noting that winter on Mars is excessive. The world the Zhurong rover had been engaged in inspecting skilled daytime highs in winter of -4 F (-20 C) and lows ranging all the way down to -148 F (-100 C) at night time. Moreover, the CNSA stated the realm additionally suffered a dust storm in March and April 2022, simply previous to the power-down.
Mud overlaying the rover’s solar energy panels is the seemingly wrongdoer within the obvious end-of-mission, if that’s certainly what’s occurring.
Backside line: The Chinese language Mars rover Zhurong has not moved since at the very least September 2022.
