China releases map of Mars that names geographical features
- In Reports
- 07:22 PM, Apr 25, 2023
- Myind Staff
Coinciding with Space Day of China 2023, China on Monday released its first-ever colour-coded map of Mars, with an impressive 76-meter spatial resolution.
The Chinese National Space Administration (CNSA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) jointly unveiled the glorious colored map images at a launch ceremony in Hefei, Anhui Province. These images, along with scientific data collected by the Tianwen-1 Mars mission, promise to deepen our understanding of the mysterious Martian landscape.
The medium-resolution camera onboard the Tianwen-1 mission's orbiter conducted a whopping 284 orbital remote sensing imaging tasks from November 2021 to July 2022 and covered the entire Martian surface. The ground application system processed an astounding 14,757 images to bring us these breathtaking color map images of Mars.
Zhang Rongqiao, the chief designer for China's Mars Exploration Program, expressed his confidence in the map's color accuracy and precision during an interview with CGTN. He emphasized that the map will not only enhance China's Mars exploration projects and scientific research but will also benefit international colleagues.
Researchers studying the images have identified a large number of geographical entities on Mars. The International Astronomical Union has named 22 of these features after historical and cultural villages and towns in China with populations under 100,000.
Launched in July 2020, China's Tianwen-1 Mars probe entered Martian orbit in February 2021 and landed on the planet in May 2021. The rover has already completed its 90 Martian days of scientific exploration tasks and has traversed 1,921 meters in 358 Martian days.
Image courtesy: Representative image
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