China to launch Mars probe in 2009

China, which sent its first lunar orbiter to probe the moon's surface recently, will launch its maiden Mars probe onboard a Russian rocket in October 2009, state media reported.

Yinghuo-1 would reach the pre-set circling orbit and beam the first images of the red planet in September 2010, the state-run China Daily said, quoting a senior scientist.

The prototype of the probe was now being subjected to a series of experiments and its compatibility with the Russian spacecraft would be tested in May next, Chen Changya, a researcher with the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering, said.

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