JLW
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China set off on what it hoped would be its first successful journey to Mars on Thursday, launching a combined orbiter, lander and rover to the red planet on a voyage that will last until next year.
If successful, the mission would affirm China’s place among the top spacefaring nations, able to plan and carry out complex interplanetary missions on its own. Only the United States and, briefly, the Soviet Union have previously succeeded in landing a vehicle on the planet.
As ever in China, the launch was shrouded in secrecy in advance, though unofficial video streams posted by Chinese viewers showed the vessel beginning to rise at 12:41 p.m. from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Hainan Island, ringed by crystal blue waters.
www.nytimes.com
Looks like we will be entering another space race. We will be launching our own mission soon as well. We need to step up our game!
www.cnbc.com
If successful, the mission would affirm China’s place among the top spacefaring nations, able to plan and carry out complex interplanetary missions on its own. Only the United States and, briefly, the Soviet Union have previously succeeded in landing a vehicle on the planet.
As ever in China, the launch was shrouded in secrecy in advance, though unofficial video streams posted by Chinese viewers showed the vessel beginning to rise at 12:41 p.m. from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on Hainan Island, ringed by crystal blue waters.

China’s Mars Mission, Tianwen-1, Begins Its Monthslong Journey (Published 2020)
The combined orbiter, lander and rover will reach the red planet in February, if all goes well. NASA plans a Mars launch of its own next week.
Looks like we will be entering another space race. We will be launching our own mission soon as well. We need to step up our game!

China declares first solo Mars mission launch a success days ahead of U.S. attempt to reach the Red Planet
China launched a major Mars mission, called Tianwen-1, on Thursday in what it hopes will become its first successful landing on the Red Planet.
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