Yinghuo-1 facts for kids
| Mission type | Mars orbiter |
|---|---|
| Operator | CNSA |
| Mission duration | 1 year in Mars orbit (planned) Never departed Earth orbit |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Launch mass | 115 kilograms (254 lb) |
| Dimensions | 750mm x 750mm x 650mm (stowed) |
| Power | Solar array |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 8 November 2011, 20:16:03 UTC |
| Rocket | Zenit-2M |
| Launch site | Baikonur 45/1 |
| Deployed from | Fobos-Grunt (planned) |
| End of mission | |
| Decay date | 15 January 2012 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Areocentric (planned) Geocentric (achieved) |
| Regime | Low Earth (achieved) |
| Perigee | 800 kilometres (500 mi) (planned) |
| Apogee | 80,000 kilometres (50,000 mi) (planned) |
| Inclination | 5 degrees (planned) |
| Period | 3 days (planned) |
Yinghuo-1 was a Chinese spacecraft. It was designed to be China's first mission to another planet. Its main goal was to orbit and study the planet Mars.
The spacecraft launched into space with a Russian spacecraft called Phobos-Grunt. Sadly, after reaching space, something went wrong. Yinghuo-1 could not escape Earth's gravity to travel to Mars.
The name Yinghuo means firefly in Chinese.
What Was Yinghuo-1?
Yinghuo-1 was a small robotic spacecraft. It was built by the CNSA. The spacecraft weighed about 115 kilograms (254 pounds). It was powered by solar arrays, which are like wings that collect energy from the sun.
Its main job was to explore Mars. Scientists hoped it would study the Martian atmosphere. They also wanted to learn more about the planet's magnetic field.
Why Was It Important?
Yinghuo-1 was a very important mission for China. It was supposed to be their first time sending a spacecraft to another planet. This kind of mission is called an interplanetary mission.
It would have helped China learn a lot about space travel. It also would have helped them understand Mars better. The mission aimed to work with the Russian Phobos-Grunt spacecraft.
What Happened to Yinghuo-1?
Yinghuo-1 launched on November 8, 2011. It lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It was carried into space by a Zenit-2M rocket.
The spacecraft successfully reached Earth's orbit. However, the rocket's engine that was supposed to push it towards Mars did not start. This meant Yinghuo-1 could not leave Earth's orbit.
After a few weeks, the spacecraft fell back into Earth's atmosphere. It burned up on January 15, 2012. Even though it didn't reach Mars, it was an important step for China's space program.
