China to complete global geologic map of Mars by 2028
China is the second country after the United States to land a rover on Mars
China plans to finalize a comprehensive geologic map of Mars by the close of 2028, as its space ambitions intensify in a competitive landscape with the United States. This endeavor is a crucial component of preparing for the upcoming Tianwen-3 mission, China's subsequent venture to the Red Planet. Chief scientist for the Tianwen-3 mission asserts that the map will encompass the entire Martian surface, integrating insights from China's inaugural rover, the Ju-rong, which landed on Mars in May 2021, marking China as the second nation after the US to achieve this feat on Mars.
The Ju-rong rover's discoveries suggested the presence of a vast ancient ocean on Mars approximately 3.5 to 4 billion years ago, a period when the planet exhibited a thicker atmosphere and a warmer climate, a stark contrast to its current frigid and barren state. State-run media reveals that the map-making project will leverage artificial intelligence to analyze data gathered from previous missions.
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