CPPCC Members' Corridor: Tianwen-1 to land on Mars in May-June

04:41

China's first Mars probe mission Tianwen-1 is expected to land on the Red Planet in May or June, Bao Weimin, director of the Committee of Science and Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, said on Thursday in Beijing.

The probe is now orbiting at a speed of 4.8 kilometers per second with all indicators normal, Bao, who is also a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), said during the "Members' Corridor" meeting with the media at the Great Hall of the People.

Bao Weimin, CPPCC member at the "Members' Corridor" on March 4, 2021. /CGTN

The

three high-definition images

of Mars captured by Tianwen-1 and released on Thursday are the first close-range images of the surface of Mars that China has captured, he said, adding that the images contain a great deal of information awaiting to be explained.

China has always upheld an open and collaborative attitude in space exploration, said Bao, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, calling for joint efforts for the exploration of the mysteries of the universe.