US media article: Why did Chinese go to Mars?

On July 14, the website of American diplomats published an article signed by Namratta Goswami entitled "Why China Is Going to Mars", which was compiled as follows:

2020 is an ideal year for a Mission to Mars, as Earth is closer to Mars this year. Such opportunities arise every 26 months, allowing us to launch probes to Mars in less time and fuel. Three Mars missions will take place from mid-July to August: the U.S. Perseverance probe, the UAE Hope probe, and China's Tianwen-1 Mars mission.

Why is China investing in a Mars mission? What does the Mars mission have to do with China's long-term space strategy and goals?

First, for China, reaching Mars is a test for any space power. A successful mission to Mars can immediately bring a country into the elite club of space. Landing on Mars is a coveted prize. The Mars mission marks a country's true commitment to developing the ability to reach, understand, and one day move to distant planets. Chinese space scientists have expressed the goal of relocation. In 2019, China opened its first Mars simulation base. The base is located in Mangya City, Qinghai, allowing people to live in a Mars-like environment.

Second, Mars is an Earth-like planet in the solar system. Being able to land on Mars and develop a Mars space development strategy means being able to strengthen China's space infrastructure. China's Mars strategy is part of its vast space logistics infrastructure. In April 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission released a list of new infrastructures, hoping to guide the government's work priorities and investment directions. China is building a truly independent space infrastructure, including a separate Beidou satellite system, lunar deployment capabilities, a separate space station and, now, a Mars exploration mission.

Once all completed and presented to the outside world, China will provide the world with another set of reliable space infrastructure to further compete for global space leadership.

Third, landing on Mars will improve China's ability to automate deep space exploration. Because of the presence of an atmosphere on Mars, landers need to be equipped with heat shields, parachutes, and thrusters to slow down as they land on the Surface of Mars, all of which must be automated. In addition, it takes about 40 minutes for the Earth to communicate with Mars, which means that the rover will have superb automation and autonomous decision-making capabilities.

If China successfully lands on Mars, the lander successfully releases a solar rover, and the rover communication system is intact and can function normally for 90 Martian days as planned, China will become the only country other than the United States to complete this series of feats.

Fourth, China believes that the first independent attempt on a Mars mission to achieve all three major achievements (including orbiting, landing and touring Mars) will have a convincing effect, marking the maturity of China's space science field. Ye Peijian, technical adviser at the China Academy of Space Technology, said in a 2016 interview: "Although we are not the first Asian country to launch a probe to Mars (India became the first Asian country to launch an orbiter to Mars in 2014), we hope to start from a higher starting point." According to the China National Space Administration, "completing the three tasks of 'circling, falling and touring' at one time" will be an unprecedented feat.

Fifth, China hopes to become a strong contender in the field of deep space knowledge exploration. The Chinese rover will carry a total of six payloads, including a ground-penetrating radar that can depict the conditions of mars subsurface and even look for signs of permafrost. Tianwen-1 and U.S. Perseverance will be the first rovers to carry ground-penetrating radar on missions.

China's Mars mission is part of its grand space infrastructure program, which aims to achieve space dominance by 2049. The Mars mission not only enhances China's space technology capabilities, but also enhances the prestige, reputation and credibility of China's space program. It is worth noting that China is investing in lunar exploration and deep space exploration capabilities at the same time.