The easiest way to send a spacecraft to Mars is to fling it into space at just the right angle. If done right, the probe will hurtle along a crazy-looking elliptical route for about nine months until it reaches the red planet's field of gravity and begins circling its target.
Caixin
In Depth: China's ambitious plans to land a rover on Mars next year
Probe will study red planet's climate and geology -- and look for signs of life
A Long March-5 rocket sits at the Wenchang Space Launch Center China's Hainan Province on July 17. China's plans to launch a rover to explore Mars in April 2021. © Xinhua/AP
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