China Accelerates Mars Program

securitas writes "You read it correctly - Mars. China has announced it intends to accelerate its Mars program, using experience and expertise from its fledgling lunar program. Following China's proposed Moon missions, the first phase would send a Mars orbiter to examine and survey the Red Planet; the second phase will involve wheeled robotic probes like China's Mars Explorer roving vehicle prototype, used to collect and analyze rock samples; and the third phase will involve returning spacecraft from the planet and establishing a permanent automated base on Mars. This puts the China-India space race and the China-USA space race in a very different light and clearly indicates that China plans to play with the big boys of Mars exploration."

Comments

Where's China..?

[Larsing]

China is light years away from launching Mars exploration programmes

I didn't know China was in a different solar system(!).
Would that be Alpha Centauri or Ursa Minor Beta..?

Land, Land and more land

[engineerdude]

They're trying to find new homes for the 20 million people displaced by the new dam....

Re:How long?

[bill_mcgonigle]

Just wait for some old Congressmen to realize that China is only after Mars because it's the Red planet.