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Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

China's Mars Sample Return

The Chinese plan on beating NASA and or ESA in getting the first sample back from Mars.

'So, NASA plans to use "birdies" (as backups) to collect Mars samples, while China would probably unleash a "puppy" to do the job. Interesting.
https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/statu … 2787060736
Good to hear no additional rover is needed in NASA/ESA's updated plan.'

Chinese language article
Tianwen3
https://www.memeta.co/article/3pm3i_46b3b.html

Mars sample-return mission might be called Tianwen-3.
https://www.space.com/china-tianwen2-as … 025-launch

France has worked on its on independent sample return ideas while Japan has also shown interest in participating in an international Mars sample-return mission but their focus remains on the Mars Moons.

The International Committee Against Mars Sample Return (ICAMSR) is an advocacy group led by Barry DiGregorio, that campaigns against a Mars sample-return mission, However biohazard testing at the International Space Station before the samples are brought to Earth could be an ok idea. Yet from online discussion I read it is possible some groups like this believe bringing something back from Mars will release a zombie andromeda strain style apocalypse.

Some more rational people believe a Chinese 2028 launch, ascent vehicle on and an orbiter and return module launched separately on a Long March 3B. Samples would be returned to Earth in July 2031
https://spacenews.com/china-aims-to-bri … a-mission/

'NASA Will Inspire World When It Returns Mars Samples to Earth in 2033'
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-will … th-in-2033

There seems to be some confusion in the media over Tianwen 2 and Tianwen 3, one is perhaps an asteroid mission and the other Mars sample return mission. Tianwen 3 could have a small rover to fetch loose rocks - a dog-like legged rover is illustrated though other configurations may be more feasible.
Spanish language article.
https://danielmarin.naukas.com/2022/06/ … e-cercano/

Chinese language video
Ascent vehicle will consist of two stages, using either solid or liquid propulsion & required to reach a speed of 4.5 kilometers per second, according to the presentation.
https://www.koushare.com/lives/room/812404

I believe they may be using Tianwen-1 to enter lower orbits and test aero-breaking for future Mars missions.

the video above is by Sun Zezhou, chief designer of Tianwen-1

Last edited by Mars_B4_Moon (2022-07-27 16:00:02)

tahanson43206

Moderator

Registered: 2018-04-27

Posts: 19,364

Re: China's Mars Sample Return

For Mars_B4_Moon ... best wishes for success with this promising looking new topic!

(th)

Mars_B4_Moon

Member

Registered: 2006-03-23

Posts: 9,776

Re: China's Mars Sample Return

NASA in competition with China to bring Mars rocks to Earth
https://www.euractiv.com/section/china/ … -to-earth/

'overall costs could potentially balloon to $11 billion, nearly double what NASA had stated'

As a result, NASA plans to solicit new proposals from the space industry that would pare back some of the mission’s ambitions.

“In order to do things faster, we may have to lower the scope of the number of samples,” NASA’s Nicky Fox told reporters, without specifying what the new number would be.

Nelson said the agency’s hand was also forced by budgetary constraints imposed by Congress which led NASA to request over $2 billion less than it had hoped for 2025 as a result of a debt ceiling agreement reached last year.

China’s Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission is working toward a launch around 2030, state media said last month.

Though China’s mission is simpler and would only take samples from the immediate vicinity of its landing site, being the first to return rocks from another world would still be a huge geopolitical win.

NASA Says New Plan Needed To Return Rocks From Mars; Current Mission Design Can't Deliver Before 2040
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-68819153