editor
hiraethified
It's a busy time around Mars this month!
www.space.com
![1612897820919.png 1612897820919.png](https://www.urban75.net/forums/data/attachments/253/253552-1d38f38876f12268855283dad9d85a1a.jpg)
www.space.com
Tianwen-1 is China's first independent interplanetary mission, expected to complete its six-month journey to Mars on Feb. 10, 2021. The probe, a combination orbiter, lander and rover, launched from Earth aboard a Long March 5 rocket on July 23, 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having traveled 292 million miles (470 million kilometers) from Earth, Tianwen-1 will enter orbit around the Red Planet on Feb. 10. The Tianwen-1 rover will attempt to land on the Red Planet in May.
![www.space.com](/forums/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net%2FU6me7seVu59tJWzMgW4oFN-1200-80.jpg&hash=a129ace7935fd9909064b61867f40dca&return_error=1)
Tianwen-1: China's first Mars mission
An exciting addition to the fleet exploring the Red Planet.
![1612897820919.png 1612897820919.png](https://www.urban75.net/forums/data/attachments/253/253552-1d38f38876f12268855283dad9d85a1a.jpg)
A giant antenna constructed in north China is now ready to support the Tianwen-1 Mars mission and future deep space endeavors.
With China's first interplanetary mission, Tianwen-1, about to reach Mars, the newly constructed, 230-foot (70 meters) diameter dish antenna in the city of Tianjin has been tested and is ready to receive data from the spacecraft.
Tianwen-1 is due to enter Mars orbit on Wednesday (Feb. 10) and begin its science and imaging observations shortly after. However, getting this valuable information back to Earth from up to 250 million miles away deep space brings its own challenges.
![www.space.com](/forums/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net%2FBHCsdXHoCgHUUcCd6nMXSi-1200-80.jpg&hash=fdb781ea0292af78825fe270534c6124&return_error=1)
Huge antenna ready to support China's Tianwen-1 Mars mission
The giant ground station on Earth is standing by as the Tianwen-1 spacecraft nears Mars.