China is moving ahead with the launch of its Mars sample return mission, Tianwen-3, by 2030 and has already narrowed down its list of potential landing sites.
Work on China's Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission is proceeding relatively smoothly, with a launch scheduled for around 2030, Song Zezhou, a senior engineer at the Chinese Academy of Space Technology, told China Central Television (CCTV) on March 6. Song was the chief designer of China's successful Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter and rover mission.
The update, although brief and vague, comes as NASA is reconsidering its Mars sample return mission due to major budget and timing issues. A final decision on MSR spending has been delayed until fiscal year 2024.
The architecture of China's Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission is a simpler approach compared to NASA's, but is still a very complex mission. Two launches of the Long March 5 rocket will deliver the lander and ascent vehicle, as well as the orbiter and return module, respectively. The entry, descent and landing technology will be based on the use of the Tianwen-1 rover for landing.
On the surface of Mars, the lander will use a robotic arm to collect surface samples and a drilling rig to collect material from depths of up to two meters. The mission could also include a six-legged crawling robot or helicopter like Ingenuity to add the ability to collect a more diverse set of samples. The mission aims to return approximately 500 grams of Martian samples to Earth.