China's space exploration efforts are expanding as the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has announced an invitation for overseas researchers to contribute payload proposals for its Mars sample return mission, Tianwen-3. The CNSA is targeting research institutions globally, explicitly including entities in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, to develop scientific instruments for this ambitious mission.

Scheduled for launch around 2028, the Tianwen-3 mission represents a key endeavor in China's growing planetary exploration program.

The spacecraft will consist of several components including a lander, an ascent vehicle, a service module, an orbiter, and a return module, all equipped with six scientific payloads essential for the mission's objectives.

The payloads available for international collaboration include a Raman fluorescence spectrometer, an ultra-wideband exploration radar, a mid-infrared superfine imaging spectrometer, a Mars global multicolor camera, a descent ENA aurora detector, and a high-precision vector magnetometer.

The CNSA has stipulated that while participation from overseas researchers is welcomed, all payload projects must be led by a domestic institution in China, with a maximum of five entities allowed to collaborate on a single payload.

In a previous announcement, the CNSA detailed its offer for international cooperation on payload resources, specifying that up to 15 kilograms of payload capacity will be available on the orbiter and an additional 5 kilograms on the service module.

The primary scientific aims of the Tianwen-3 mission encompass the search for signs of life on Mars, as well as investigations into the planet's climate, geological characteristics, and internal processes.

This initiative is seen as a significant step in advancing human understanding of Mars and its potential for sustaining life.