Photo released on June 11, 2021 by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) shows a selfie of China’s first Mars rover Zhurong with the landing platform.The images include the landing site panorama, Martian landscape and a selfie of the rover with the landing platform. (CNSA/Handout via Xinhua)

On September 10th, in Nanjing, China, the Mars rover Zhurong and nine other innovative inventions were honored with “Gold Design” awards during the 24th China Patent Awards ceremony. The event, held in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, was hosted by the National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA).

Zhurong, a crucial component of China’s Tianwen-1 Mars exploration mission, was among the recipients. It made a historic landing on May 15, 2021, in the expansive Utopia Planitia region of Mars. This six-wheeled, solar-powered rover, reminiscent of a blue butterfly, takes its name from the ancient Chinese god of fire. Standing at 1.85 meters in height and weighing 240 kg, Zhurong boasts a top speed of 200 meters per hour on the Martian terrain.

Additional recipients of the prestigious awards included a crawler crane widely utilized in engineering construction and an advanced computed tomography (CT) scanner designed for medical diagnostics.

The China Patent Awards, a long-standing tradition since 1989, are jointly organized by NIPA and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). They represent the highest accolades in China for patented inventions and industrial designs.

China’s commitment to innovation is evident in its remarkable numbers, with 795,000 new design applications recorded in 2022 alone. According to WIPO data, China leads the world in patent, trademark, and design applications, underscoring its dedication to intellectual property advancements.