Tianwen 1 orbiter creates Mars global map.
China's Tianwen 1 mission has produced a global map of Mars using data collected by its medium-resolution camera over an eight-month period. The images have a spatial resolution of 249 feet per pixel and include an orthographic projection of Mars' eastern and western hemispheres. The data will inform landing site selection for China's next Mars mission, a sample return mission expected to launch around 2030. The mission's rover, Zhurong, may never be able to reactivate itself due to an accumulation of dust on its solar panels.