China's Mars probe to conduct second orbital correction in September

China's Mars probe Tianwen-1 will carry out its second orbital correction in September to ensure that it travels in the preset orbit, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

Mars probe makes first mid-course correction. [Photo/Xinhua]

As the Mars probe travels further from Earth, the communication delay is increasing. Currently, the delay is about 30 seconds, and when the probe approaches Mars, the one-way time lag can be more than 10 minutes.

The probe carried out its first orbital correction on August 2. During its flight to Mars, the probe will conduct four orbital corrections and a deep space maneuver, according to a source from the CASC.

The Mars probe is traveling away from Earth at a speed of about 300,000 km per day. As of 11:20 p.m. Wednesday, the probe was 8.23 million km from Earth.

China launched the Mars probe on July 23, designed to complete orbiting, landing and roving in a single mission, thus taking the first step in its planetary exploration of the solar system.

The probe is expected to reach the red planet around February 2021.