Tianwen-3

[2] In summer 2022 during a deep space exploration technology forum held at Nanjing University, Sun Zezhou, chief designer of the Tianwen-1 mission, detailed plans for the mission based on a two-launch architecture.

[1][3] The current mission architecture envisions two launches around 2028[4][5] by the Long March 5 carrier rocket.

Once the lander arrives on the Martian surface it will collect surface samples, via a drill on the lander and possibly an autonomous mobile robot with multiple legs.

[3] After several months on the Martian surface and after storing the samples collected by the lander and mobile robot, the ascent vehicle will launch from atop the lander and rendezvous with the waiting orbiter.

The ascent vehicle will transfer the collected samples to the orbiter/return-vehicle, which will depart for Earth.