China’s Mars Rover Fails to Wake Up After Choking on Red Planet’s Dust

(Bloomberg) — China’s first Mars rover hasn’t woken up from a scheduled months-long hibernation on the surface of the Red Planet, a Chinese scientist confirmed Tuesday.

The solar-powered Zhurong, named after an ancient Chinese god of fire, landed in May 2021, making China only the second nation after the U.S. to succeed in landing such a probe on the Red Plant. The 240 kilogram (530 pound) vehicle is one of the most significant achievements in China’s effort to challenge the U.S.’s dominance in space exploration.