China to build first Mars simulation base
‘Mars village’ to be built in an arid area of Qinghai province as China plans future missions to the Red Planet
China is to build its first base to simulate conditions living on Mars in a desert area deep in the country’s northwest, state media reported.
An agreement to build a “Mars village” at Haixi prefecture in Qinghai province was signed on Tuesday, according to the China News Service.
The region on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau is known for its sharp ridges and mounds of rock – known as yardangs – formed over centuries by wind erosion. They mirror similar features found on the arid surface of the Red Planet.
The project will incorporate education, tourism, scientific research and simulation training, according to a December statement on the website of the Haixi government.
The base might also include a set for shooting films and TV shows, the statement said.
Liu Xiaoqun, an official involved in space exploration at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the base would contribute to local tourism in Qinghai.