BEIJING, March 29 -- China and Russia have inked a deal to explore Mars and its moon, Phobos. The two countries will jointly send a probe to study the planet and its atmosphere.
The exploration will start in 2009.
Russia will launch the explorer, Phobos-Grunt which will carry Chinese-made scientific equipment. Once in orbit, the Chinese satellite will study the atmosphere of the planet to try to find an answer to the mystery of what happened to the planet's water. In addition, it will research the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetic field of Mars.
Wang Chi, Chinese Academy of sciences, said, "China's focus is on research into the atmosphere of the Mars, this is an important compliment to the international probe. Cooperating with Russia can help us gain technical experience for our future independent research."
After separation from the Chinese satellite, the Russian explorer will land on Phobos to conduct research and take soil samples. Before landing, the explorer will circle Phobos for several months, and carry out a two point simultaneous observation of the Mars along with the Chinese satellite.
Wang Chi said, "Two point simultaneous observation of Mars will be a first for mankind. Such research can help us to have a deeper understanding of the evolution of Mars. It's a great contribution to the world's exploration of the planet."
Mankind's exploration of Mars dates back to 1960s. More than thirty spacecraft have been sent, but more than twenty failed. Whether there's life on the Mars has always been in the spotlight. In recent years, the US, Russia and the EU have all sent explorers to Mars. The agreement between China and Russia is a milestone marking a great advance for the two countries' space cooperation.
(Source: CCTV.com)
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