The Chinese have released the first footage of their rover on Mars

“Planina Utopia Planetia” (The device’s landing zone on Mars – Editor’s note) It’s really easy – at the landing site, there are no big rocks or large craters, ”says astronautist Michel Vaclavik from the Czech Aerospace Office.

The Associated Press mediated the resulting footage.

The Chinese spacecraft successfully landed on the planet on Saturday, May 15th. The unit contained a robotic spacecraft that should scan the planet’s surface.

China only became the second country after the United States to be able to take an robotic vehicle to Mars and start operating it. In addition to the nine American probes, the Soviet Mars 3 quietly landed on Mars.

Zhuong weighs about 240 kg. It has six wheels and four solar collectors. The DPA writes that it can move around the surface of Mars at 200 meters per hour. The vehicle was the first to remain in the landing gear for several days due to the tests.

If all goes according to plan, Zhuong, named after the Chinese god of fire, will be exploring the area for at least three months. The survey will focus on the planet’s surface and atmosphere, as well as looking for signs of life. With the help of radar, it will search the surface for water and ice.

China has previously managed to land on the moon repeatedly, but the landing on Mars is technically more complicated because control signals fly to Mars for a longer time. In addition, heat shields are necessary for entering the Martian atmosphere, landing a brake missile and also, unlike the Moon, an umbrella that prevents a very sharp impact on the surface. Both parachute and missiles must be used at a precisely specified time in order for the unit to quietly land at a pre-determined location.