DEPLOYDatabase

Robot model

Zhurong Rover

China's first Mars rover (Tianwen-1; landed Utopia Planitia 2021-05-14, drove off 2021-05-22).

Form factor
space
Maturity
research
Lifecycle
discontinued
Deployments
1

The verified answer

As of Sep 2026, DEPLOY verifies Zhurong Rover, a space by China National Space Administration (research): 1 verified deployment on record. 2 sources back the record.

discontinuedDiscontinued. The product or service is no longer actively pursued by the maker.

Overview

China's first Mars rover (Tianwen-1; landed Utopia Planitia 2021-05-14, drove off 2021-05-22). Operated by ground command with twin-rover path rehearsal on Earth; no autonomous hazard-avoidance system is documented in available sources (verified-vs-claimed: do not overstate as autonomous). Entered planned hibernation 2022-05-18 and never re-established contact (solar-panel dust suspected); presumed lost.

Verified vs. claimed

Maturity stage
research(Lab-stage only; no commercial or public deployment reported.)
Sources on file
View all sources →

Key facts

Type

Mars rover

Landed

May 14, 2021 (Utopia Planitia)

Specs

Role

Mars rover

Landed

2021-05-14

Status

presumed lost since 2022-2023 hibernation

Autonomy

ground-commanded (twin-rover path rehearsal); autonomous hazard avoidance not documented

Weight kg

240

Data & sources

Web sources

2

2 sources backing this record.View all →

Pricing

No verified price is on record for Zhurong Rover. Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.

Deployments (1)

  • The Zhurong rover was deployed to Utopia Planitia on Mars as part of China's Tianwen-1 mission, operated by the China National Space Administration.

Free to use on your site, with a link back to DEPLOY.

Zhurong Rover on the deployment map

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Where Zhurong Rover is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.

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Recent activity

Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.

Full change history →

Safety record

No incidents on record for Zhurong Rover.

Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.

Sources (2)

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhurong_(rover)
  2. https://www.planetary.org/space-missions/tianwen-1

Common questions

What is Zhurong Rover?
China's first Mars rover (Tianwen-1; landed Utopia Planitia 2021-05-14, drove off 2021-05-22). Operated by ground command with twin-rover path rehearsal on Earth; no autonomous hazard-avoidance system is documented in available sources (verified-vs-claimed: do not overstate as autonomous). Entered planned hibernation 2022-05-18 and never re-established contact (solar-panel dust suspected); presumed lost.
How much does Zhurong Rover cost?
Zhurong Rover's price is not publicly disclosed. DEPLOY has no verified price on record for Zhurong Rover from China National Space Administration. Physical-AI systems like this are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price; check the manufacturer for the latest.
Is Zhurong Rover actually deployed in the real world?
Yes. Zhurong Rover is independently verified in real-world operation on the DEPLOY registry, confirmed at named deployment sites with primary sources: not a concept, render, or demo-only.
Who makes Zhurong Rover?
Zhurong Rover is made by China National Space Administration, based in Beijing, China, founded in 1993.
Where is Zhurong Rover deployed?
1 verified deployment of Zhurong Rover is on the DEPLOY registry, including at Mars.
Can you buy Zhurong Rover?
Zhurong Rover is discontinued and no longer sold; its historical record remains on the DEPLOY registry.
What are alternatives to Zhurong Rover?
On the DEPLOY registry, comparable space robots to Zhurong Rover include Chang'e Lander, Mira, W-Series Capsule, spacevan.
How does Zhurong Rover compare to Chang'e Lander?
Zhurong Rover and Chang'e Lander (China National Space Administration · 4 deployments) are both space robots on the DEPLOY registry. Zhurong Rover has 1 verified deployment on record. Compare both records for specs, safety, deployments, and verified-vs-claimed autonomy.
Is Zhurong Rover a top space?
On DEPLOY's intelligence score, which blends verified deployments, safety, adoption, media, and IP signals, Zhurong Rover ranks in roughly the top 52% of space models tracked by the registry.
What is Zhurong Rover's maturity stage?
Zhurong Rover is at the research stage on the DEPLOY maturity ladder (research, prototype, pilot, commercial, production). Research stage means active development without commercial deployments on file.
Is Zhurong Rover still being made?
Zhurong Rover is discontinued: the product line is permanently ceased; historical records remain on the registry.
Is Zhurong Rover safe?
Zhurong Rover has no incidents on record in the DEPLOY registry. This does not constitute a safety guarantee; it reflects the incidents DEPLOY has tracked and verified to date.
What is the Zhurong Mars rover?
Zhurong is China's first Mars rover, landed as part of the Tianwen-1 mission. It is the country's first rover to land on another planet after previously landing two rovers on the Moon. Tianwen-1 translates to 'questions to heaven' or 'questioning the heavens.'
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-15

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-15

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: research

Lifecycle: discontinued

Architectural position

Cohort: space

Sources by quality tier

1
knowledge-base
Knowledge base
1
unclassified
Unclassified source

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Zhurong Rover.

Recent coverage

Zhurong Rover in third-party press