ESPOO, Finland — China's Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission is entering flight hardware development, targeting a late 2028 launch to seek out biosignatures on the Red Planet.
The mission has achieved breakthroughs in key technologies, Liu Jizhong, chief designer of the Tianwen-3 mission, told the press in Beijing March 12.
Requisite technologies include Mars surface sampling and sealing, takeoff and ascent from the Martian surface, rendezvous and docking in orbit around Mars, and planetary protection systems. The engineering team will now advance to the flight model development phase within 2026, Liu said.
