China space agency reckons Zhurong Mars rover has probably been done in by dust
in early January that the solar panels became coated in dust kicked up by winter storms, preventing the rover from collecting energy.Zhurong launched in July 2020 aboard China's first interplanetary mission, Tianwen-1. It was designed to study Martian geology, mapping and analyzing the terrain while looking for materials useful to support future manned missions. It did that, with aplomb, for an entire year after it landed in May 2021.
The rate at which Mars landers succumb to dust is testament to the success of the two rovers currently residing on Mars: NASA's Perseverance and Curiosity. Perseverance has been in operation for almost two years, and Curiosity has trundled around for over a decade.
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