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China joins Russia's simulated 'Mars trip'

By Jia Xu (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-05-19 13:36

Wang Yue, the only Chinese volunteer in the Russian 520-days "Mars trip" sits in a press conference in Moscow, capital of Russia on May 19. 2010. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Russia on Tuesday announced the first simulated Mars trip will be lunched on July 3, 2010, and seven participants are ready for the 520-day simulation flight to Mars with Wang Yue, the only Chinese professional astronaut, listed in the crew, Chinanews.com reported on Wednesday.

Seven volunteers for the Mars500 experiment, which simulates a 520-day flight to Mars, pose for a picture in Moscow May 18, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

The crew consists of six principal participants and back-up ones. Beside China's Wang, the other crew members are four Russians, one French, and one Italian. The back-up is still to be decided.

Wang, 27, was picked after a series of examinations including physical check-up and psychological examinations.

"I think Mars500 must be a milestone in the human space race, in human space history," He said. "Space exploration is difficult and huge; it needs international cooperation, so I am lucky to be here." said Wang during the news conference in Moscow Tuesday.