''Tianwen-3'' is a planned interplanetary mission by China to send two spacecrafts (an orbiter/Earth-returner and a lander/ascent-vehicle) via two separate launches to
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury (planet), Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Mars (mythology), Roman god of war. Mars is a terr ...
. Together, the two spacecrafts will seek to obtain samples of Martian rocks and soil and then return the cached samples to Earth.
Overview
In summer 2022 during a deep space exploration technology forum held at
Nanjing University
Nanjing University (NJU; ) is a national public research university in Nanjing, Jiangsu. It is a member of C9 League and a Class A Double First Class University designated by the Chinese central government. NJU has two main campuses: the Xianl ...
, Sun Zezhou, chief designer of the
Tianwen-1
-1 (TW-1; zh, t=, s=, l='Heavenly Questions') is an interplanetary mission by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) which sent a robotic spacecraft to Mars, consisting of 6 spacecraft: an orbiter, two deployable cameras, lander, rem ...
mission, detailed plans for a
Mars sample-return mission
A Mars sample-return (MSR) mission is a proposed mission to collect rock and dust samples on Mars and return them to Earth. Such a mission would allow more extensive analysis than that allowed by onboard sensors.
The three most recent concept ...
based on a two-launch architecture. The mission, which appears to have the backing of senior government and space-industry authorities, is known as "Tianwen-3" and constitutes part of the
Tianwen series of space missions.
The current mission architecture envisions two launches during 2028 by the
Long March 5
Long March 5 (LM-5; zh, s=长征五号 , p=Chángzhēng wǔ hào), or Changzheng 5 (CZ-5), and also by its nickname "''Pang-Wu''" (胖五, "''Fat-Five''"), is a Chinese heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle ...
carrier rocket. One launch occurring in November 2028 will send an orbiter/return-vehicle on a "
Trans Mars Injection" trajectory; this spacecraft is anticipated to enter Martian orbit in August or September 2029. A second launch in either May or December 2028 will send a lander/ascent-vehicle to Mars with potential landing dates occurring in August 2030 or July 2029 respectively (a potential May 2028 launch date would fall outside of the usual low-energy-least-time Earth-to-Mars launch window and result in longer interplanetary transit times compared to a November 2028 launch date).
Once the lander arrives on the Martian surface it will collect surface samples, possibly via a drill on the lander and an autonomous mobile robot with multiple legs.
In October 2030, after several months on the Martian surface and after storing the samples collected by the lander and mobile robot, the ascent vehicle will launch from atop the lander and rendezvous with the waiting orbiter. The ascent vehicle will transfer the collected samples to the orbiter/return-vehicle, and the latter then will depart for Earth, also in October 2030. The samples are anticipated to arrive on Earth via an atmospheric reentry vehicle in July 2031.
See also
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Mars sample-return mission
A Mars sample-return (MSR) mission is a proposed mission to collect rock and dust samples on Mars and return them to Earth. Such a mission would allow more extensive analysis than that allowed by onboard sensors.
The three most recent concept ...
*
Planetary Exploration of China
The Planetary Exploration of China (PEC; ), also known as Tianwen (), is the robotic interplanetary spaceflight program conducted by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The program aims to explore planets of the Solar System, starting ...
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Tianwen-1
-1 (TW-1; zh, t=, s=, l='Heavenly Questions') is an interplanetary mission by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) which sent a robotic spacecraft to Mars, consisting of 6 spacecraft: an orbiter, two deployable cameras, lander, rem ...
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Tianwen-2
''Tianwen-2'', formerly known as ''ZhengHe'', is a planned Chinese asteroid sample-return and comet exploration mission that is currently under development.
Overview
''Tianwen-2'' is planned to be launched by a Long March 3B rocket around 20 ...
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Chang'e 5
Chang'e 5 () was the fifth lunar exploration mission of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, and China's first lunar sample-return mission. Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e. It launched ...
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Chang'e 6
Chang'e 6 () is a planned robotic Chinese lunar exploration mission that is expected to launch in 2025 and perform China's second sample return mission. Like its predecessors, the spacecraft is named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e.
Ov ...
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NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return
The NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return (MSR) is a proposed Mars sample return mission to collect Martian rock and soil samples in 43 small, cylindrical, pencil-sized, titanium tubes and return them to Earth around 2033.
The NASA-ESA plan, approved ...
References
External links
{{Portal bar, Astronomy, Space, Spaceflight, Solar System, China
Chinese space probes
2028 in spaceflight
2028 in China
Missions to Mars
Proposed space probes