中国首个火星探测器萤火一号计划于2009年10月和俄罗斯的火卫一采样探测器一道发射升空。萤火一号将探测火星的空间环境,并验证深空导航测控与通信技术。与常规的火星探测任务不同,该探测器的轨道与位置测量主要利用天文甚长基线干涉测量技术、开环跟踪测量技术、差分单程测距测速技术、同波束干涉测量技术以及单程Doppler测速技术承担。
The 1st Chinese Mars probe, Yinghuo-1, is planned to be launched in October 2009, together with the Russia Phobos-Grunt landing mission. YH-1 will explore the space weather of the Mars, and test the deep space communication and navigation techniques. Different from common deep space mission, the astronomical Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), open loop tracking method, like DOR/DOR, seam beam VLBI and one-way Doppler will be used to determine the S/C orbit and position.