Mars rover to move south after testing

Data, images obtained by Zhurong will be accessible to global researchers

China's Mars rover Zhurong will continue moving southward to explore the Red Planet, focusing on key scientific issues, such as potential locations of water and ice, as well as volcanic activities, according to a project leader.

Liu Jianjun, chief designer of the Tianwen 1 mission's scientific system, said on Saturday that mission planners decided the rover would move south out of scientific considerations.

"Tianwen 1's landing site is on the southern part of the Utopia Planitia, near what many scientists believe was a shoreline of an ancient Martian ocean. The site is believed to have been covered by water, so heading southward is in the direction of the land," he said. "Scientists are convinced that this route will enable Zhurong to find some interesting geographical features, such as mud volcanoes and troughs, to observe and survey. This will help them to deepen their knowledge of water, ice and volcanoes on Mars and find answers to as yet unsolved questions."