ANKARA 

China on Thursday extended an invitation for international cooperation on its upcoming Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission, offering global partners a chance to join its ambitious effort to explore the red planet and search for signs of life, state media reported. 

The Tianwen-3 mission is scheduled for launch in 2028 as part of the China National Space Administration’s (CNSA) broader planetary exploration program, according to Xinhua News. 

At a Space Day of China event held in Shanghai, the CNSA announced that 20 kilograms of onboard resources aboard the Tianwen-3 spacecraft will be reserved for international collaboration. 

The complex spacecraft system will include a lander, ascent vehicle, service module, orbiter, and return module, and is equipped with six scientific payloads. 

While the mission’s core goal is to search for evidence of life on Mars, it will also investigate the planet’s climate, geological structure, and internal processes, marking a significant step forward in China's planetary science ambitions.

In a related development, China also revealed details about its Chang’e-8 lunar probe, slated for launch around 2029. That mission, part of a broader push toward international space collaboration, will carry payloads from 11 countries and regions as well as one international organization. 

Set to land on the Leibnitz-Beta Plateau near the Moon's south pole, Chang’e-8’s collaborative projects include a multi-functional robot designed in Hong Kong, a lunar rover developed jointly by Pakistan and the International Society for Terrain-Vehicle Systems, an exploration rover built by Türkiye and radio astronomical instruments contributed by South Africa and Peru.