After sending robots to the Moon, landing them on Mars and building its own space station, China is now eyeing distant solar systems, Nature reports. This month, scientists will release detailed plans for the country’s first mission to discover exoplanets.
The mission will aim to survey planets outside the solar system in other parts of the Milky Way, with the goal of finding the first Earth-like planet orbiting in the habitable zone of a star just like the Sun. Astronomers think such a planet, called an Earth 2.0, would have the right conditions for liquid water — and possibly life — to exist, it said.
Read the full report: Nature.
SEE MORE:
‘Canyon of Fire’ on Sun Spits Solar Wind at Earth – LiveScience
China’s ‘Artificial Sun’ Fusion Reactor Heats Up the Competition
China Moon Rover Explores ‘Different’ Far Side – New Scientist
