Chinese agency reveals image of spacecraft to explore Mars in 2020

The Chinese Space Agency has shown the world the first photo of its spacecraft to be launched for Mars in 2020 on a seven-month voyage. The mission, which is in the final stages of development, will have three important tasks to accomplish, including examining the Martian atmosphere.

In the image released by the site CGTN can not see more details, only the ship in a kind of cocoon. But local officials have reported that the mission includes a ground exploration rover and an orbital probe in addition to the landing module.

According to Ye Jianpei, a scientist who coordinates the deep space exploration department of the institution, the mission is going well and, if all goes well, the launch will take place next year, with the Red Planet landing scheduled for before 2021.

A Long March 5 rocket should be responsible for sending the cluster into space, bringing it into Earth's geosynchronous orbit, taking advantage of the favorable launch window due to the cosmic event known as the Mars opposition, which occurs every 26 months, allowing the equipment travel a shorter distance and spend less fuel.

Chinese mission objectives on Mars

In addition to examining the Martian atmosphere, the Chinese spacecraft also aims to investigate the planet's landscape and its magnetic and geological features, providing new clues to better understand the origin and evolution of Mars and the solar system.

If it succeeds, it will be the first time a space mission has successfully accomplished all three tasks in the same exploration voyage.

The video below shows more details about the Chinese launch, travel, landing and goals. Look:

Chinese agency reveals image of spacecraft to explore Mars in 2020 via TecMundo