China's Zhurong Explorer Alleged To Be Dead On Mars

JAKARTA - It has been almost a year since the Zhurong rover on the Tianwen-1 mission has not carried out any activities or moved on Mars.

China's National Space Administration (CNSA) launched Zhurong for its first interplanetary mission, Tianwen-1, in July 2020. Zhurong landed on Mars in May 2021.

Explorer Zhurong entered hibernating in May 2022 due to reduced solar power available to spacecraft during the winter in the northern hemisphere of Mars.

Zhurong is expected to wake up in December last year, around spring equinonomics, but China and its space authorities remain silent about the rover's status.

Photos taken by the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter revealed the rover was near the crater and had not moved since September last year.

It is possible that the rover is struggling to produce enough energy and revive itself because the solar panels are covered in dust. Dust might prevent it from turning sunlight into electricity.

If Zhurong dies, it won't be the first to die. Last December, NASA's Mars Insight lander was officially declared dead after failing to respond to the mission controller following two attempts to make contact.

Dust storms may have affected Zhurong's ability to produce enough heat and light to operate, but it is likely that he is still active again in warmer conditions or as Martian winds clear the solar array.

Zhurong marks the country's first Mars rover. China is the third country to land on the Red Planet after the United States (US) and the Soviet Union.

The six-wheeled rover robot is designed to study Martian geology by mapping local terrain, analyzing its chemical and structural composition, paying attention to signs of water, ice, and minerals content that may support manned missions.

Data from the rover has helped scientists find signs there may be liquid water on Mars longer than previously thought, as quoted by ScienceTimes, Friday, February 24.

Meanwhile, Tianwen 1, continues to operate even though Zhurong is inactive. Tianwen 1 and Zhurong have completed their main mission and even won international awards.

Currently, China is planning a mission to return a sample of Mars named Tianwen 3, which is scheduled to be launched in 2028.