19 May 2021
On 19 May, CNSA released the first 2 images and 2 videos taken by the Mars rover and the orbiter camera on the Martian surface and during the landing process.
The surface image, taken by the front obstacle avoidance camera of the rover, shows the landing platform and the ramp for the Zhurong rover to drive down later on. Another image, taken by a navigation camera, shows the solar panels, the communication antenna and other instruments.
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22 May 2021
At 10:40 BJT on 22 May, the Zhurong rover set its wheels onto the Martian surface and started planetary exploration. If all continues to go according to plan, the rover can operate for about 3 months - 90 Martian days.
Linli Guo engineer with CAST published on her Twitter account (@guo_linli) the first photos Zhurong took.
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*headline adapted from lyrics by R.E.M. - Man on the Moon

22 May 2021
China only sent its first human into space in 2003, but since then its technological capabilities have multiplied. But what are the ultimate goals of China’s space programme? And as technologies needed to take humans to Mars are developed, are we about to witness a new ‘Space Race’? Paul Henley of the BBC World Service is joined by a panel of expert guests: Brian Harvey, Kaitlyn Johnson, Dean Cheng, Laura Forczyk and Jill Stuart.
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24 May 2021
The news update on the Chinese space programmes includes the latest developments from the week of 17 - 23 May. Blaine Curcio and Jean Deville report about the first images from Zhurong rover, the completion of the first batch of tests for the Tianhe space station module, SASTIND's new regulations on smallsat manufacturing and they reflect on an opinion piece by Galaxy Space’s Xu Ming on China SatNet.
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