Reports indicate that China would launch its first Mars probe Yinghuo-1 atop a Russian launch vehicle in October 2009.
The probe will travel 350 million km in 11 months before entering planet's orbit.
"Yinghuo-1 will reach the preset circling orbit and send back the first images of the red planet in September 2010," said Chen Changya, a researcher with the Shanghai Institute of Satellite Engineering.
"The 110-kg Mars probe will circle around the planet for one year, though it has a designed life of two years. It will conduct scientific exploration tasks, including exploring the Martian space environment, and relay back the first Mars images taken by a Chinese satellite," said Chen.
After entering Mars' orbit, Yinghuo-1 will be detached from the Russian spacecraft, which will land on the Martian moon and return to Earth with soil samples.
According to a statement issued by the China National Space Administration (CNSA) in March, "The mission is the result of close cooperation with Russia, and represents a milestone in the history of space cooperation between the two neighbors."
"The probe's prototype is now being subject to a series of experiments, and next May, its compatibility with the Russian spacecraft will be tested," said Chen, who is in charge of the project developing the Mars probe.
Now, a humanoid robot that is no pushover Japanese researchers have developed a humanoid robot that has the ability to rebalance itself after accidental or intentional shoves or kicks land anywhere on its body.
