China to complete new-generation Mars geologic map by the end of 2028
China plans to complete a new-generation geologic map of Mars by 2028, incorporating data from its Tianwen-1 mission and international probes. The project aims to establish a Chinese framework for Martian geologic time and utilizes AI to interpret complex planetary data.
Why it matters
This initiative represents a significant advancement in planetary science and demonstrates China's growing influence in space exploration and data standardization.
BEIJING: China plans to complete a new-generation geologic map of Mars by the end of 2028, aiming to reconstruct the Red Planet's watery past and introduce a Chinese system for dividing Martian geologic time.
Hou Zengqian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief scientist of the Tianwen 3 Mars sample-return mission, revealed the plan at a symposium held Monday (Sept 28) at the Institute of Geology under the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences.
Zhurong, the rover China landed on Mars in 2021 as part of its Tianwen 1 mission, has offered new clues to the planet's water history: a vast ancient ocean still existed some 3.5 billion years ago, and short-lived floods possibly occurred 1.6 billion years ago. These findings, which help fill gaps in the evidence chain of how Mars' ancient climate evolved, will be incorporated into the new map.
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