Made in Hong Kong, landed on Mars: PolyU camera helps ensure smooth arrival for China’s Zhu Rong rover
- Mars Landing Surveillance Camera was invented by researchers at Polytechnic University
- China becomes just the third country to successfully land a rover on the Red Planet
When China’s Zhu Rong rover finally touched down on Mars on Saturday after seven months of space travel, a “Made in Hong Kong” camera installed on the rover ensured the landing was smooth.
The Mars Landing Surveillance Camera, which is just 390 grammes in weight but can withstand extreme temperatures, was invented by researchers at Polytechnic University.
“I am honoured that two PolyU research teams from different disciplines have participated in this landmark mission,” Professor Teng Jin-guang, the university’s president, said. “They played a vital role in landing-site mapping and evaluation, as well as in the development of a sophisticated space instrument.
“We will continue to engage in cutting-edge projects in space exploration and technology in order to support the nation’s space development with our pioneering research capabilities.”
After seven months of travelling, three months in orbit and “nine minutes of terror”, China on Saturday became the third country to safely land a rover on Mars.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) said the rover, named after the Chinese mythical god of fire and war, had successfully landed after “nine minutes of terror”, referring to Nasa’s description of the time when engineers on earth have no control or oversight of the vehicle because of a radio signal delay.