The Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China

04/19/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/19/2021 02:33

China to announce name of its first Mars rover

BEIJING - China will announce the name of its first Mars rover on the Space Day of China, which falls on April 24, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

Nanjing, capital city of East China's Jiangsu province, will host the main events marking this year's Space Day of China, Lyu Bo, a CNSA official, told a press conference on April 19.

The events include the opening ceremony, bilateral talks on the international lunar research station, and the fourth China Space Conference.

The name of China's first Mars rover will be announced at the opening ceremony on April 24, Lyu said.

China launched Tianwen-1 on July 23, 2020. The spacecraft, consisting of an orbiter, a lander and a rover, entered the parking orbit of Mars after performing an orbital maneuver on Feb 24.

The global campaign of naming the rover kicked off last July. Netizens at home and abroad were invited to vote for their favorite among 10 candidates from Jan 20 to Feb 28.

Last month, three possible names emerged, with 'Zhurong,' a fire god in ancient Chinese mythology, topping the list.