China’s first Mars rover is finally out exploring the surface of the red planet, said the country’s space agency Saturday.

The Zhurong rover, named for the Chinese god of fire, began its exploration at 10:40 a.m. Beijing time (10:40 p.m. EST), according to a statement from the China National Space Administration. The country had landed the spacecraft carrying the rover last week, becoming the second country after the US to land on Mars.

The rover spent the week running diagnostic tests before setting out to explore the surface of the red planet, according to a report. It is expected to remain on Mars for the next three months, the Chinese space agency said.

A NASA rover — the Perseverance — has also been exploring the surface of Mars, and scientists expect the rover to collect its first samples in July, which will be brought back to Earth as early as 2031.