Today is New Year’s Eve丨This New Year’s blessing comes from 325 million kilometers away!

today

The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month

Lunar New Year's eve

We wish you a happy new year!

At the same time, the Tianwen-1 probe sent back a set of selfie videos from the orbit of Mars, extending New Year greetings to the people of the whole country.

Video: The probe takes a group photo on Mars

Source: China Lunar Exploration Project

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month last year (February 10, 2021), Tianwen-1 arrived at Mars and successfully implemented capture braking, becoming my country's first artificial Martian satellite, and starting a scientific exploration journey of the red planet. It has just been one lunar new year today.

The video was taken by the "selfie" camera carried by the Tianwen-1 orbiter. The camera was installed at the end of a "selfie stick". This selfie tool is designed to monitor and evaluate the status of key components outside the orbiter cabin. In the video, the orbiter's 3000-Newton engine, propellant tank, attitude control engine and other components are in good condition. The five-star red flag shining in the orbit of Mars is particularly bright. The angle of sunlight changes significantly during the attitude adjustment process, and the ice cap below is photographed when flying over the North Pole of Mars.

Video: Video of the "selfie stick" unfolding process

Source: China Lunar Exploration Project

As of January 31, 2022, Tianwen-1 has been in orbit for 557 days, about 325 million kilometers from the Earth, with a light travel time of about 18 minutes, and the Zhurong Mars rover has worked for 255 Martian days and traveled a total of 1,524 meters. At present, the Tianwen-1 mission has transmitted back about 600GB of original scientific data, and both devices are in good condition and operating normally.

Further reading:

Why do we stay up all night on New Year’s Eve?

Image source: Tuchong Creative

"Goodbye tonight, goodbye tonight,

Whether new friends or old friends, we will meet again next spring."

When the familiar melody sounded

The Year of the Tiger is about to start

Let us look to the future together

May you be blessed with good fortune and vigor in the Year of the Tiger.

I wish the country peace, prosperity and strength!

Comprehensive sources: Science Popularization China New Media, People's Daily, China Lunar Exploration Project, Xinhuanet Treasure Youth Studio, etc.