Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent
@BBCAmoson Twitter
image copyrightChina National Space Administration
China’s Zhurong rover has sent back a batch of new images from Mars – including a “selfie”.
The robot, which landed in May, positioned a wireless camera on the ground and then rolled back a short distance to take the snap.
To Zhurong’s right is the rocket-powered platform that brought the six-wheeled vehicle to a soft touchdown.
Both display prominent Chinese flags.
image copyrightChina National Space Administration
A second image, taken by the rover, shows the platform on its own.
Visible is the ramp down which Zhurong had to drive to get on to the surface; and the tracks it left in the dust as it turned around.
A third picture looks out to the horizon from the landing site. This region is known as Utopia Planitia, a vast terrain in Mars’ northern hemisphere.
All the images were released by the Chinese space agency in a ceremony to celebrate the success of the rover mission.
image copyrightChina National Space Administration
Scientists are hoping to get at least 90 Martian days of service out of Zhurong.
The robot looks a lot like the American space agency’s (Nasa) Spirit and Opportunity vehicles from the 2000s.
It weighs some 240kg. A tall mast carries cameras to take pictures and aid navigation; five additional instruments will investigate the mineralogy of local rocks and the general nature of the environment, including the weather.
image copyrightShutterstock
Like the current American rovers (Curiosity and Perseverance), Zhurong has a laser tool to zap rocks to assess their chemistry. It also has a radar to look for sub-surface water-ice – a capability it shares with Perseverance.
On Thursday, the US University of Arizona released a colour picture of Zhurong taken from orbit. The university’s camera, called HiRise, is mounted on Nasa’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
image copyrightNASA/JPL/UArizona
