China unveils new images of Mars taken by its remote-controlled robot

Steph Deschamps / June 28,  2021

China unveiled Monday new images of the Red Planet taken by its remote-controlled robot Zhurong. The photos and videos show the opening of the parachute of the Chinese probe during its landing on Mars on May 15, or a reconnaissance operation of the spacecraft.

The robot has been active on Mars for 42 Martian days (a day on Mars corresponds to a day barely longer than on Earth with 24 hours and 40 minutes) and has covered a distance of 236 meters. China had launched in July 2020 from Earth its uninhabited mission Tianwen-1, named after the probe sent into space and composed of an orbiter (which revolves around Mars) and a lander with Zhurong on board which landed last Saturday in an area of the red planet namedUtopia Planitia, a vast plain in the northern hemisphere of Mars.