HKU astrobiologist joins national effort to map out China’s Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission

On: July 9, 2025

HKU astrobiologist joins national effort to map out China’s Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission

Schematic of the Chinese Mars Sample Return mission, where the lander will drill 2 metres deep to collect the samples and scoop the surface materials with a robotic arm and drone. Credit: HKU

China’s Tianwen-3 is poised to be the first sample-return mission to Mars. The science team now includes a group of astrobiologists from Hong Kong University (HKU), led by Professor Yiliang Li. In a recent paper, the team advised the China National Space Agency (CNSA) on landing site selection and how the first samples from Mars should be analyzed and curated once they are brought back to Earth.

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