Zhurong

Zhurong is the name of the first Mars rover independently developed by China. Launched on July 23, 2020, as part of the Tianwen-1 mission, Zhurong successfully landed on the Martian surface on May 15, 2021, making China the second country to achieve a soft landing and the third country to operate a rover on Mars. The rover is named after the Chinese god of fire, which is also reflected in its name in other languages, such as Zhurong in Chinese (simplified Chinese: 祝融; traditional Chinese: 祝融), Chhu̍t-iông in Taiwanese Hokkien, and Chuk-yung in Cantonese. The rover's primary objectives include conducting surveys of the Martian surface, searching for signs of water or ice, and studying the soil and rock composition. Zhurong is equipped with six scientific instruments, including cameras, spectrometers, a magnetometer, and a ground-penetrating radar, to carry out these investigations. The rover has a mass of 240 kilograms (530 lb) and is powered by solar panels, with a designed lifespan of at least 90 Martian days (sols).