Martian Base created in China
A Martian village, in which the conditions on Mars are replicated, has been built on an uninhabited desert in the Chinese province of Qinghai. The 32-hectare base will be available to both scientists and visitors after opening, reports Sibnovosti.ru with reference to RIA Novosti.
The village is divided into a landing zone and a camp for Martian tourists. Up to 160 people will be able to stay there at any one time whilst scientists will be able to conduct research onsite. The idea of the provincial authorities is that the Martian Village will become an educational and cultural centre for fans of science and astronomy. The cost of the project is estimated at 22.5 million dollars.
This is not the first attempt to create conditions on Earth that resemble Mars. In 2010-11, Russia conducted the “Mars-500” experiment, isolating six volunteers for a year and a half in conditions that simulated a flight from Earth to Mars, a stay on the red planet and a return to Earth.