Foreign media: As the U.S. Mars Sample Return (MSR) project has stalled due to budget overruns (reaching $11 billion) and other obstacles, China is actively advancing its "Tianwen-3" mission, planning to launch two rockets in 2028 and bring back no less than 500 grams of Martian rock and soil samples to Earth by 2031.
The mission will collect subsurface samples using a drill, obtain surface materials with a robotic arm, and even be equipped with an unmanned helicopter carrying a robotic arm that can collect samples up to 100 meters away from the lander. China has initially selected 86 potential landing sites, prioritizing areas with water and possible signs of life.
There are internal concerns within the U.S. that if the MSR is canceled, it would hand over the leadership of Mars to others. To prevent biosecurity risks, China will also build an isolation processing center in Hefei to ensure that the returned samples do not endanger Earth's ecosystem.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1836272149155844/
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