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China researchers plan Mars mission ‘around 2020’

Although the government has not officially announced plans for a Mars mission, officials from the China National Space Administration are currently lobbying to have it put on the agenda and have begun ‘preliminary research’, the state-run China Daily reported.

‘We plan to conduct the Mars mission around 2020, which will include the probe’s orbiting, landing and roaming,’ Peng Tao, a space expert with the China Academy of Space Technology, was quoted by China Daily as saying. ‘By contrast, other nations will need multiple missions to achieve those three steps.’

The statements came less than a week after prototypes for the Mars rover were debuted at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition.

China’s recent space efforts have been focused on exploring the moon. The nation’s first lunar rover - the Yutu, or Jade Rabbit - was launched late last year, but it has since been beset by mechanical troubles.The planned Mars rover will be bigger than the Yutu in order to deal with the harsher terrain, officials said.
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