ScienceChina says Martian rover takes first drive on surface of Red Planet Reuters 2 minute read An image taken on Mars by Chinese rover Zhurong of China's Tianwen-1 mission is seen in this handout image released by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), May 19, 2021. CNSA/Handout via REUTERS A remote-controlled Chinese motorised rover drove down the ramp of a landing capsule on Saturday and onto the surface of the Red Planet, making China the first nation to orbit, land and deploy a land vehicle on its inaugural mission to Mars. Zhurong, named after a mythical Chinese god of fire, drove down to the surface of Mars at 10:40 a.m. Beijing time (0240 GMT), according to a post on the rover's official Chinese social media account.