Exploring the Red Planet
Base de Datos
Zhurong successfully landed at Utopia Planitia in May 2021 following the launch of the Long March 5 rocket. China became the second nation to operate a rover on Mars, mapping the subsurface and studying regional climate before entering final hibernation in May 2022.
The ejectable microsatellite TDC-2 of the Tianwen-1 mission successfully validated passive visual diagnosis in Martian orbit on December 31, 2021. Utilizing a 180° dual-lens optical design and a short-range wireless system, it captured high-resolution images of the orbiter without active attitude control.
The ExoMars TGO mission (2016) is an ESA/Roscosmos orbiter focused on detecting trace gases. Following successful aerobraking in 2018, it operates in a circular science orbit. It has detected subsurface water and serves as the primary communication relay for all active rovers on Mars.
MAVEN concluded its mission on June 3, 2026. Over 11 years, it quantified Martian atmospheric erosion, establishing that 66% of primordial argon was lost via sputtering. Despite the loss of control in December 2025, its scientific and operational legacy for the rovers is fundamental.
Launched in 2011, the Curiosity (MSL) mission revolutionized Martian exploration by using the "Sky Crane" landing system to deposit a 900 kg nuclear-powered rover in Gale Crater in 2012. The mission confirmed that Mars once hosted ancient freshwater lakes and complex organic molecules, validating that the planet held habitable conditions in the past. It remains operational after more than 12 years.
NASA's MRO mission, launched in 2005, has successfully operated for over 15 years. Using instruments like HiRISE and SHARAD, it has discovered vast subsurface ice deposits at mid-latitudes and serves as the primary communications relay for surface rovers.