吉林一号高分03D06
Activity at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center suggests a Tianwen-1 launch date around 2020-07-23, although China has not announced an official launch window.
Tianwen-1 will be followed by a Mars sample return mission planned for around 2030.
During entry, descent, and landing the Tianwen-1 landing segment must reduce speed from 20,0 m per hour to zero.
The Tianwen-1 spacecraft arrived at the Wenchang launch center on 2020-04-10 after air delivery to Haikou airport.
China is preparing to launch the Tianwen-1 Mars mission following delivery of a Long March 5 launch vehicle to the Wenchang launch center.
A 70-meter-diameter antenna was hoisted in Tianjin on 2020-04-25 to support Tianwen-1 mission communications.
Upgrades and updates to China’s deep space network facilities are underway to support the Tianwen-1 mission.
The space tracking ship Yuanwang 6 left port to test new equipment and antennas for tracking and supporting the Tianwen-1 mission.
A standard Long March 5 will be used to launch the Tianwen-1 orbiter and rover into a Mars transfer orbit from Wenchang in late July or early August.
The Tianwen-1 spacecraft is expected to reach Mars around February 2021.
The Tianwen-1 mission will launch in the July–August Mars 2020 launch window alongside NASA’s Perseverance Mars 2020 rover and the United Arab Emirates’ Hope Mars orbiter.
The Tianwen-1 spacecraft has been delivered to Wenchang Satellite Launch Center.
There are suggestions that the Tianwen-1 rover landing attempt may take place in April 2021 months after spacecraft arrival to allow mapping and observation of the landing site.
Tianwen-1 is expected to launch on a Long March 5 launcher from Wenchang in the late July–early August Mars launch window.