The next phase of the mission will be crucial for Tianwen-1. In 2011, China successfully launched the Yinghuo-1 Mars mission and reached parking orbit aboard a Ukrainian Zenith rocket. However, the burns designed to send it from that orbit to Mars failed, leaving it stranded on Earth. It finally re-entered our orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific in January 2012.
In addition to the difficulty, China is attempting its first Rover landing on Mars, something that only the United States has accomplished so far. The red planet is littered with remnants of previous failed attempts by Europe, the former USSR, and the United States alike. Thus, success would crown China as a superior nation in terms of space exploration.
Tianwen-1 has become the second of three missions to launch during the current window of Mars that passes relatively close to Earth. The United Arab Emirates successfully launched the first Arab world mission to Mars just three days ago, and the US will launch its Perseverance rover to Mars on July 30. All three missions are expected to arrive in February 2021.
