Right at this moment, three spacecrafts developed and launched by humans are flying in tandem to Mars along almost the same route, which is unprecedented. Never before have multiple probes flown into deep space at the same time, let alone to the same target planet. These three spacecrafts and their equipments and mission targets are different, but their hope for space discovery, desire to ask questions about the vast space, and perseverance to explore planets are all the same, thus giving birth to the three names 「Hope」,「Tianwen-1」and 「Perseverance」 for Mars missions.
On July 20th, 23rd and 30th, UAE, China and USA launched missions to Mars respectively. UAE’s Hope probe, launched by Japan’s H-2A launch vehicle, aims to model the atmospheric activity of Mars by observing Mars in Mars orbit. Launched by the Long March 5 launch vehicle developed independently by China, the Chinese 「Tianwen-1」 probe will complete three tasks of 「Obiting, Landing and Roaming」 in a single mission. Its goal is to simultaneously carry out observation of the Martian surface in Mars orbit and exploration of the environment on the surface by a rover. On the other hand, USA 「Mars 2020」 mission was launched by the veteran launch vehicle Atlas 5, and the main goal is to directly look for signs of life by roaming on Mars, and do some key technical tests, such as trying to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, Mars helicopter aerodynamic flight, and so on. Launch vehicles from Japanese, Chinese and USA. Have demonstrated outstanding performance and mission responsibility in the cause of human exploration of the universe.
As I am writing this article, that is, 15:30 Beijing Time on 18 August, the UAE’s Hope probe is 9.16 million kilometers away from the Earth, China’s Tianwen-1 probe is 7.86 million kilometers away from Earth and the United States』 Perseverance rover is 6.25 million kilometers away from Earth. These numbers are growing all the time. The probes are just at the beginning of a long journey to Mars. Although the closest distance between Mars and Earth is 55 million kilometers, flying from Earth to Mars requires a potential distance of about 600 million kilometers along the Horman transfer orbit, which is currently the only proven and most convenient benchmark method. Therefore, the Mars exploration tour of the three countries in 2020 also has just begun.
Mars probes from UAE, China and USA to explore the same planet, undoubtedly affect the hearts of all mankind on the earth. No matter what is going on and what differences there are in different regions on this planet, we can be side by side on the way to another planet to explore the unknown. Space science and space exploration, like music, have become the common enthusiasm, preference and language for us.
Around the world, people who love the space and universe have been paying close attention to the progress of these three tasks, and every new update has become a hot topic. For example, the launch of the 「Hope」 probe was postponed twice because of the weather condition at Tanegashima Space Center in Japan, and the launch of the 「perseverance」 rover was postponed by the United States due to unexpected circumstances such as the failure of the launch pad crane. China encountered setbacks and suffered pressure in other launch missions shortly before launching Tianwen-1. However, we all had been looking forward to a success of launching these three missions on time and safely. It is so fantastic that all three launches have been successfully completed, and everyone around the world has witnessed these three moments and a large number of space enthusiasts were keeping together with us online or on-site in China.
As far as I know, during the three launches, many people had paid much attention. In China, adults will ask what are the differences between missions to Mars launched by UAE, China and USA this year? When will human be able to land on Mars? The most curious, studious and inquisitive students are from primary and secondary school and college. They pay attention to how heavy the Mars rover is? Is there life on Mars? Why should it be launched only every 26 months? Even kindergarten children talk about Mars exploration in less proficient language. They ask why Mars is red. Is it hot on Mars? Can I build a house? What’s it like to drive a big car on Mars? Can you grow crops?
Before, during and after the launches of the three Mars missions, we have organized many space science popularization activities to let students and the public know about Martian science and space engineering, and the significance of the three missions to all mankind. At first, we thought that this was just to let people know more, but later found that it was not only a scientific matter, but also a starting point for blooming imagination. It is a critical way for people to understand the world and human beings themselves, and it is also an effective way to implant the concept of peace and mankind coexistence into the heart and mind of the next generation of human. Only when we look at the universe and the deep space can we know how small human beings are small, and how precious it is to have clean air, mutual trust, peaceful life, human health and so on. When people of current generation and next generation are watching the Mars exploration activities of the three countries, they would understand that it is most possible that the resources on the earth have been wasted and exhausted, so maybe one day they have to develop a new planet in order to survive. They have learned that, compared to exploring outer planets, no matter how powerful and rich a country is, its power is still small, and landing on the moon and Mars could not be achieved even by exhausting all the resources of a big country; they will also understand that if human beings cannot unite as one to protect the earth, then people in the future will certainly experience a disaster which is like a revenge from the earth. Although the exploration of Mars is not necessarily a result from resource exhaustion on the earth, and although it is possible for a country to exhaust its national power to make some progress in exploration, but all this understanding conveys a positive and common concept: peace. When people look at science, life and international relationships from the perspective of all mankind, they will bring more possibilities to world peace, because they can clearly recognize that the destruction of the earth or the wars between human beings are surely a lose-lose. But win-win is much more preferable.
However, in fact, uniting as one and benefiting all mankind with space science are happening on the three spacecrafts flying to Mars at this moment, and their Mars probes and the launched missions are the results of international cooperation among mankind. Although the United States has rich experience in deep space exploration, the probe instruments of the 「perseverance」 Mars rover get help from Europe, and although the United Arab Emirates have rich resources, they need to rely on Japanese rockets to fly away from the earth. Although China can independently develop and launch Mars probe, it also needs the support of Europe and other organizations to greatly improve the mission efficiency. Therefore, peace and cooperation are just right in front of us, in every space exploration of mankind at present and in the future, and surely also in every activity in which we deliver space knowledge to students and the public.
With the Mars Missions in 2020, we strive to enable our next generation of young people to nurture space dreams at a very young age, and everyone will plant the seeds of win-win peace and friendship in their hearts, and the fruits of a better life will most probably be obtained in the future. So the three spaceships are on their way to Mars, along with the space dreams of the next generation of human.