China brings Mars a little closer with replica on Tibet plateau
by Tom Phillips in Beijing from on (#31E2V)
95,000 square-kilometre space base will be used to train astronauts as well as entertain glamping tourists
The 55m-kilometre jaunt from planet Earth to the red planet takes up to a year. From Beijing's international airport you'll soon be able to fly there in just over seven hours.
In the latest leg of its multi-billion dollar race for space, China has unveiled plans to build a 400m yuan (47m) replica of Mars on a spectacular, sandswept corner of the Tibetan plateau.