china has launched a probe to mars in
its first
independent mission to explore the red
planet it was sent up thursday on
china's biggest
launch vehicle a long march 5 rocket
which took off from the wanchang
spacecraft launch site on hainan island
the name of the mission means questions
to heaven the spacecraft is expected to
attempt a landing on the planet next
february
a rover will be deployed for three
months to search for
underground water and to collect other
data so far only two countries have
succeeded in landing on mars the u.s
and russia
