BEIJING: A Chinese spacecraft appears poised to enter orbit around Mars, one day after an orbiter from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) did so and about a week ahead of an American effort to put down another spacecraft on the surface of the red planet.

Chinese authorities, always cautious about possible failure, have not announced a planned arrival time. The official Xinhua News Agency reported last week that the spacecraft was expected to slow down around Wednesday before entering orbit and preparing for a Mars landing.

The challenging endeavours to touch down on Mars isn't expected for about three months. If all goes as planned, China would become only the second nation to do so successfully.

Named Tianwen-1, the Chinese orbiter-rover combo needs to fire its engines to slow enough to be captured by Mars? gravity after a 470-million KM journey that took more than six months. It would circle and map Mars until the rover separates and attempts to land in May to look for water underground and signs of ancient life.

Landing a spacecraft on Martian soil is notoriously difficult, and China?s attempt will involve a parachute, back-firing rockets and airbags. Its proposed landing site is inside the massive, rock-strewn, Utopia Planitia, where the U.S. Viking 2 lander touched down in 1976.

The latest three Mars missions were all launched in July to take advantage of the planet's close alignment with Earth that occurs only every two years. The UAE's orbiter called Amal, Arabic for Hope, began circling the red planet on Tuesday to gather detailed data on Mars' atmosphere.

Blinken, Jaishankar agree on expanded cooperation across Indo-Pacific

United Nation seeks full, regular access to Syria?s al-Hol camp

Dominica, Barbados receive 'Made in India' corona vaccines