Why in News?

• China landed a spacecraft on Mars carrying its first Mars rover.

About China’s Mars Program

• China had in 2020 launched its first Mars mission, called Tianwen-1, carrying a lander and rover.
• Tianwen-1 had been in orbit and a lander descended successfully onto the surface of the red planet carrying a rover named Zhurong.
• Only the Soviet Union and the United States had previously carried out a successful landing on Mars.

Other space programmes of China

• The Mars mission, along with China’s lunar mission and its space station, are key elements in its space programme.
• In 2019, the fourth lunar probe, Chang’e-4, carried out the world’s first landing on the far side of the moon.

 Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/chinese-spacecraft-successfully-lands-on-surface-of-mars/article34562542.ece