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Does anyone know why the Chinese probe which seems a lighter payload needs a heavy lift Long March 5 rocket, while Perseverance only requires a medium lift rock
by billfruit 6y ago
Does anyone know why the Chinese probe which seems a lighter payload needs a heavy lift Long March 5 rocket, while Perseverance only requires a medium lift rocket? Is it because of some different approaches in the orbit taken to Mars?
Also how does the UAE probe's approach/trajectory to Mars.
- peach 6y agoMaybe they're sending something else alongside?
- pauldino 6y agoI believe the Chinese mission actually does have more mass overall - although the rover is a lot smaller, they're also sending a large orbiter and a landing platform to deliver the rover to the surface.
- shadowgovt 6y agoThat's cool. If NASA and CNSA can work the details out, they can share comms; it's always good to have more redundant comms solutions in orbit.
- pauldino 6y agoUnfortunately (or fortunately depending on who you ask) NASA is very restricted in what it can do with China, so probably not. But NASA does utilize ESA's Trace Gas Orbiter in addition to their own Mars orbiters for relay operations. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_exclusion_policy_of_NASA https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_exclusion_policy_of_NA...
- billfruit 6y agoI heard CNSA is also planning to use an ESA orbiter as backup comms relay, besides using the ESA ground tracking stations as well.
- sinxccc 6y agoTianwen-1: 5000kg/11000lb Perseverance: 1025kg/2300lb
- pauldino 6y agoThe Perseverance mass is just for the rover, but there's a few other components that get it to Mars and on to the surface (the cruise stage, sky crane, etc). I can't seem to find the Mars 2020 numbers but for MSL (which should be similar) the overall launch mass was 3839 kg of which 899kg was the Curiosity rover itself.
- billfruit 6y agoIt appears Tianwen rover is only about 200-300 kg, but their orbiter is massive at 3000+ kg.