China's Mars probe, along with its Long March-5 Y4 carrier rocket, arrived at the launch pad at Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern Hainan province in the morning today, ready for the Tianwen-1 Mars mission scheduled between late July and early August, state media reported. In the next few days, engineers and technicians will complete the final checks and preparations for China's first Mars exploration mission, CGTN said. The Mars probe includes an orbiter, a lander and a rover. China aims to complete the orbiting, landing and exploration of Mars on one single launch, a feat never before achieved by any other country. The Tianwen-1 mission will be the first practical launch of the Long March-5 series rocket, China's largest carrier rocket.

Source: The Standard July 17, 2020 06:22 UTC