An illustation of the Tianwen-3 Mars probe mission Photo: CCTV

China is set to complete a next-generation geological map of the entire Mars by the end of 2028, a key scientific output expected to support the country's Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission, the mission's chief scientist said on Monday.

Hou Zengqian, chief scientist of China's Tianwen-3 mission, made the remarks at a symposium on the high-quality development of the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Hou, also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the new atlas will also offer China's solution to dividing Martian geological eras, with the aim of promoting an independently developed Chinese Martian chronology standard into an international consensus.

The new map will incorporate the latest discoveries from China's Mars rover Zhurong, including evidence suggesting the existence of an ancient ocean on Mars about 3.5 billion years ago and possible short-lived flooding events around 1.6 billion years ago. These findings will be integrated into the updated geological mapping of the Red Planet. 

The next-generation geological map highlights a 1:5,000,000 scale geological map of the Mars landing area and a series of specialized atlases. According to Xinhua, these outputs will serve as important scientific preparation for Tianwen-3 and are expected to be released as the world's first intelligent geologic atlas of the entire Mars.

The series of mapping products is also expected to provide a research framework and implementation model for future mapping missions to the Moon, Venus, asteroids and other celestial bodies, the Xinhua report said.

Chinese scientists are advancing work on a new-generation geological map of the entire Mars by making full use of data from the Tianwen-1 mission and multiple international sources. The project integrates information from imagery, spectroscopy, radar and gravity measurements, and applies artificial intelligence to geological interpretation.

As a key step in China's planetary exploration program, Tianwen-3, planned for launch around 2028, is expected to become the first Mars sample-return mission in human history. The mission's top scientific objective is to search for potential signs of life on Mars, Xinhua reported.


Global Times