China is planning to finish a geologic map of Mars by the end of 2028 as its space rivalry with the United States heats up. It’s an important part of preparations for the Tianwen-3 mission, which is China’s next mission to Mars.
China’s chief scientist of its next Mars mission, known as Tianwen-3, says the map would cover the entire surface of Mars, and incorporate findings from China’s first rover sent to the red planet.
China’s Ju-rong rover touched down on Mars in May 2021, making China the second country after the United States to land a rover on Mars.
The findings indicated the existence of an ancient ocean roughly 3 and a half to 4 billion years ago, a time when Mars, which is now cold and desolate, possessed a thicker atmosphere and warmer climate.
State media says the map project will use artificial intelligence to interpret data from previous missions. -Reporting by Laura Westrook from Hong Kong
