China's National Space Administration (CNSA) has successfully activated key instruments on the Tianwen-1 spacecraft during its journey to Mars. The probe is also gearing up for its second trajectory correction maneuver.
Launched on July 28 from Wenchang Space Launch Site, Tianwen-1 aims to orbit Mars and deploy a rover on its surface—a historic first for CNSA. Primary goals include detecting water ice distribution in the Martian subsurface and mapping the planet's geological structure.
Like NASA's Perseverance, Tianwen-1 is slated to arrive at Mars in February 2021. The rover will orbit for two to three months before landing in Utopia Planitia, a vast plain spanning about 3,200 km in Mars' northern hemisphere.
Mission progress is on track. On August 19, engineers tested the orbiter's magnetometer, spectrometer, and medium- and high-resolution cameras—among its seven payloads. The rover carries six additional instruments.
"So far, so good," said mission chief Wang Chuang. "We'll monitor its health throughout the flight and conduct regular checks."
The second course correction is planned for September, following the first on August 1. Four maneuvers total are scheduled before Mars arrival.
As of August 23, the spacecraft was over nine million kilometers from Earth (straight-line distance), having traveled more than 86 million km. It will cover over 500 million km by Mars arrival.
NASA's Perseverance fired its thrusters for the first deep-space trajectory correction on August 14, with three more planned: September 28, December 20, February 10, and February 16.
A week post-launch, NASA tested Ingenuity's six lithium-ion batteries. Track Perseverance's path in real time via NASA's new app.
