First Mars Exploration Project to Be Launched in 2020

Wu Yanhua said that China plans to launch the "Chang'e 5" lunar probe at the end of 2017 to achieve a regional soft landing and sampling return to fully realize the "three-step" strategic goal of the lunar exploration project. At present, all work is progressing smoothly.

Wu Yanhua also said that the "Chang'e V" mission is one of the most complex space missions in China so far and is the most representative and influential national major scientific research and practice activity in 2017. It is extremely challenging and innovative. It will be a key symbol of the historical leap in China’s space science and technology level. It will be a decisive battle to implement Xi Jinping’s “successful implementation of the third step of the lunar exploration project on schedule” and is a deep space in China. The key battle for deepening and instigating the major aerospace projects such as exploration and heavy-lift launchers is to accelerate the battle for the world's leading aerospace and technological power. The entire line of the project should make new contributions to the great journey of “developing the space industry and building aerospace powers” ​​with practical actions of successful launch and safe return of samples.

Wu Yanhua pointed out that studies have shown that Mars is the closest Earth-like planet to the Earth, and exploring Mars is useful for understanding the Earth. About 4 billion years ago, Mars and the Earth's climate may be very similar. There are also rivers, lakes, and even oceans. What causes Mars to become today? Will the Earth experience such changes and what results will the Earth's climate change bring? Exploring these answers from the exploration of Mars is a major issue related to the future of the Earth and humanity.

Wu Yanhua pointed out that China's Mars exploration mission will be implemented in a "one-step implementation of roundabouts and two-step sampling and returning." Among them, the first Mars exploration project has been formally established and will be launched in 2020. It will have the appearance of Mars, soil, and the environment. Atmospheric and other explorations were carried out to study the spatial physics of Mars, the evolution of the atmosphere and geological structure, and to explore Mars life information. The current related research and development work was successful. In the future, China will also implement the mission of Mars sampling and further deepen its understanding of Mars. The program of asteroid exploration, exploration of the Jupiter and planets, and other key technologies have been intensified. The implementation of the project has been initiated in due course, and major scientific issues such as the origin and evolution of the solar system and the exploration of extraterrestrial life information have been studied.

Wu Yanhua believes that compared with the lunar exploration, there are more restrictions and difficulties in detecting more distant Mars. In particular, Mars and the Earth are orbiting the Sun and launching Mars probes from the Earth. They have only one chance every two years. , so there are high requirements in the launch window. Mars exploration is a highly innovative and challenging system engineering, and it is necessary to solve basic technologies such as materials, components, structures, and instrumentation that are adapted to extreme environmental conditions; breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation, precise control, long-distance measurement and control communications, etc. High-tech; capture Mars's atmosphere, topography, geological structure, and its remote sensing and other cutting-edge technologies.

Wu Yanhua said that China’s first Mars exploration mission is highly complex and has a large amount of development work. In particular, the launch window is only once every 26 months, and the progress is not allowed to be postponed. Second, China’s first detection of Mars, the Martian gravitational field, atmospheric conditions and Terrain and other environmental understanding is not sufficient; Third, the mission flight time is long, experienced changes in the space environment is complex, the reliability of components, raw materials and other requirements higher; Fourth, the measurement and control distance is far, the signal delay is long, the guidance, navigation of the detector The wisdom of control is more demanding.

(Original title: Wu Yanhua: China's deep space exploration will start a new major project)