CNSA

That follows the landing of the U.S. Perseverance rover last Thursday near an ancient river delta in Jezero Crater to search for signs of ancient microscopic life

Mars-bound missions from US, UAE and China will arrive in February with plans to deepen human understanding of the possibility of life beyond Earth

The CNSA said all systems on the orbiter-returner combination that carries lunar samples are currently in good condition

A capsule carrying the rock samples is due to land in China's northern grasslands in the Inner Mongolia region in mid-December

Eight spacecraft - American, European and Indian - are either orbiting Mars or on its surface with other missions underway or planned

Approved by Chinese authorities in January 2016, Tianwen translates to "questions about the heavens"