China is likely to conduct its second Mars mission, aimed at collecting soil samples for analysis, by 2030, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

CASC consultant Ye Peijian said China hoped to collect samples of Mars' soil and bring them back to Earth to conduct scientific analyses of the red planet's structure and environment as well as to measure the possibilities for construction on Mars by 2030, the Xinhua news agency said on Wednesday.

Ye added that such missions were likely to open possibilities for China's deep space exploration.

On December 27, the Chinese State Council Information Office (SCIO) said China was planning to conduct its first orbiting and roving exploration of Mars by 2020. A month later, China National Space Administration's (CNSA) Vice Director Wu Yanhua confirmed that China's space exploration agenda included two missions to Mars and one to Jupiter.

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China to Conduct Test Flight of CZ-8 Carrier Rocket by 2018
Beijing (Sputnik) Feb 28, 2017
China is planning to develop the next-generation CZ-8 (Long March 8) medium-lift carrier rocket and will conduct the first test flight by the end of 2018, Li Tongyu, the head of carrier rocket development at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology said Monday. The core-stage of CZ-8 will be based on CZ-7 and CZ-3A (Long March 3A) carrier rockets, the CZ-8 is expected to have two sol ... read more

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