According to the National Space Administration's Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center, the "Tianwen-1" Mars probe launched on July 23 has a flight distance of more than 8 million kilometers. Last night (the evening of the 19th), the probe carried multiple payloads. The self-check is completed and the equipment is in normal state.
About 300,000 kilometers/day! "Tianwen-1" Mars rover flies over 8 million kilometers
It is understood that the "Tianwen-1" Mars rover is moving away from the Earth at a speed of about 300,000 kilometers per day. As of 23:20 on August 19, it had a flying distance of about 8.23 million kilometers.
Wang Chuang, the overall chief designer of the Mars Rover of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group: So far, everything is good. At present, we are concerned about its health during the flight, and will conduct a regular health check on it.
Starting at 22:20 on August 19, the Mars magnetometer, mineral spectrum analyzer, high-resolution camera, and medium-resolution camera on the orbiter will complete self-checks in order to confirm that the equipment is in normal condition.
Among them, the medium and high-resolution cameras will be responsible for imaging the surface of Mars and conducting research on the topography and geological structure of the Martian surface; the Mars magnetometer will be mainly responsible for detecting the Martian space magnetic environment; the Martian mineral spectrometer will be used to analyze Martian minerals Composition and distribution.
The probe will perform the second orbit correction in September
Prior to this, on August 2nd, the Tianwen-1 Mars probe carried out the first orbit correction, and in September, the second orbit correction will be carried out to ensure that the probe will fly accurately in the predetermined orbit.
Since the successful launch of the probe on July 23, the development team has been carrying out flight control work 24 hours a day at the Beijing Flight Control Center.
Wang Chuang, the overall chief designer of the Mars Probe of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group: Because as it (the probe) gets farther and farther, its communication delay (time delay) is also getting longer and longer, when it is close to Mars Both are one-way delays on the order of ten minutes and twenty minutes, so the autonomous function requirements for (detectors) are very high.
Reporter: What is the current delay?
Wang Chuang, overall chief designer of the Mars Rover of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group: About 30 seconds.
According to experts, on the way to Mars, the Tianwen-1 probe will perform four orbit corrections and one deep-space maneuver. Previously, the first orbit correction was carried out on August 2, and the second orbit correction will be carried out in September. Ensure that the detector's attitude is stable and fly accurately in the predetermined orbit.
Wang Chuang, the overall chief designer of the Mars Probe of the Fifth Academy of Aerospace Science and Technology Group: Because of the influence of the launch of the carrier (rocket), including the deviation of the on-orbit flight, it will have a certain deviation from the theoretical orbit. Correcting it to the theoretically stipulated track is one of the purposes of midway correction.
Compared with the fine adjustment of the orbit correction, the subsequent deep-space maneuver to be implemented at an opportunity is a more controlled orbit control action, which will adjust the orbital inclination and size of the probe. After deep space maneuver, the probe will fly to Mars in the true sense, so it is more important and more difficult.