China launches unnamed Mars probe – video
by from Science | The Guardian on (#5632H)
China launched an unmanned probe on 23 July to Mars in its first independent mission to visit another planet.
China's largest carrier rocket blasted off with the probe at Wenchang Space Launch Centre in the southern island province of Hainan and is expected to reach Mars in February 2021.
The Mars-launching season occurs every 26 months when Earth and Mars are at their closest; the Chinese probe is joined by UAE spacecraft Amal, or Hope, which will orbit Mars but not land, and Nasa's Perseverance rover.
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