China wants to land on Mars by 2021: Top official at the country's space agency reveals plans for mission to the red planet

Mission chief spoke to BBC about plans for Mars and moon missions.[CN]

探测任务总负责人告诉BBC,中国计划进行火星和月球探测任务。

The agency is planning to launch a mission top reach Mars by 2021.[CN]

航天局拟在2021年登陆火星。

It also plans to establish a lunar research base and explore the moon.[CN]

同时也计划建立月球研究基地探索月球。

Nasa is banned from working with the Chinese, but officials have spoken of their desire to collaborate with the US agency on future projects.[CN]

美国航天局明令禁止参与中国此次工作，但中国官方表达了他们在未来项目和美国航天局合作的愿望。

See more news from China at www.dailymail.co.uk/china [CN]

更多中国新闻，请查看www.dailymail.co.uk/china

China wants to reach Mars by 2021, according to the chief designer of lunar and Mars missions for the CNSA. The top official opened up about the agency's plans for planetary exploration and future collaboration.[CN]

据中国航天局月球火星任务总设计师透露，中国拟在2021年登陆火星。高层还披露了星球探测和未来合作的计划。

According to the mission chief, China plans to set a course for Mars, launching as early as 2020. It hopes to land a rover on the planet by the end of 2021. If successful, the Chinese would join the US (Nasa's Curiosity rover pictured), European and Indian space agencies in reaching the red planet.[CN]

据探测任务总负责人表示，中国计划于2020年发射火星探测器。漫游者有望在2021末抵达火星。如果登陆成功，中国将成为继美国（图为好奇号摄），欧洲，印度之后，登陆红色星球的国家。

Earlier this month, China launched its SJ-10 satellite mission (pictured) which sent a number of experiments into low-Earth orbit. Included was a breakthrough experiment carrying mouse embryos, which were able to develop in microgravity, making the Chinese the first group in the world to successfully do so.[CN]

早在这个月伊始，中国发射了SJ-10卫星（如图），搜集了大量的近轨飞行的实验数据，其中包括携带老鼠胚胎的突破性进展试验。胚胎在超重状态生长，使得中国成为世上第一个成功培育胚胎的国家。

In an apparnet move towards increased data sharing, a full set of images from Chinese lunar lander and rover – Chang'e 3 and Yutu or 'Jade Rabbit' (pictured) – were made publicly available this year, providing some of the most detailed images of the lunar surface ever to have been released

While China may be seeking cooperative space ventures, Nasa will not work with CNSA due to its military status. CNSA has been largely successful in its space missions, launching its first female astronaut Liu Yang (pictured left) to the Chinese space station in 2012

China has set its sights firmly on Mars and is aiming to launch a mission to the red planet by 2020, a top official has revealed.

Long-regarded as a secretive branch of the country's vast military, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has been considered something of a lone wolf in the increasingly cooperative space race.

But the chief designer of lunar and Mars missions for the CNSA has opened up about the agency's plans for planetary exploration and future collaboration in a rare interview.

In an interview with the BBC, Wu Weiren said the agency's short-term goal is to orbit and land on the moon as well as bring back lunar samples.

However, the agency's long-term goal is to explore and settle on the lunar surface, with manned missions staying longer on the surface and even establishing a research base.

The secretive agency has changed tack in recent years, releasing more data and images to the world, and publicising its successes.

Earlier this year a full set of images from the agency's lunar lander and rover – Chang'e 3 and Yutu or 'Jade Rabbit' – were made publicly available, providing some of the most detailed images of the lunar surface ever to have been released.

In addition to the lunar base, Mr Wu revealed that the Chinese want to venture to the little-explored far side of the moon. Although whether this exploration will relate to mining activities, in order to tap the moon's potential veins of uranium, titanium and minerals.

Previously, the agency has stated the importance of helium-3 to the future of its space programme, a radioactive isotope which may be abundant on the far side of the moon.

Mr Wu told the BBC: 'It's quite challenging to land there, but according to research, there might be water or ice because of the lack of sunlight.'

But the biggest surprise was the openness surrounding military-led agency's plans to visit Mars. According to the mission chief, the CNSA plans to set a course for the red planet in 2020. 

However, he admitted that the agency could have started its Mars mission earlier, instead of flagging behind the US, European and Indian agencies.

Alluding to the stringent nature of national decision-making in China, he said 'finally the country has given its approval.'

'We will orbit Mars, land and deploy a rover – all in one mission,' Mr Wu confidently told the BBC.

Current and future planned missions are showing there are clear benefits to be gained from collaborative efforts in space exploration.

But while China may be seeking cooperative ventures, Nasa will not work with the CNSA due to its military status.

The US senate has frequently rejected calls for closer collaboration between the two agencies, with a 2011 agreement banning the US space agency from engaging in bilateral agreements with the Chinese, with vocal opponents in the US government referring to China as 'an evil empire'.

The European space agency has had limited collaborated with CNSA, working on a sun-focused satellite, called Double Star, which launched in 2001.

And the Chinese have already collaborated with the Russian agency Roscosmos on a failed Martian moon probe, which failed to make it out of low Earth orbit.

Commenting on the barriers ahead, Mr Wu said: 'We would like to cooperate with the US, especially for space and moon exploration. We would welcome this very much.'

He added: 'We have urged the US many times to get rid of restrictions, so scientists from both countries can work together on future exploration.'

To date, Nasa, Esa and Isro – the Indian space research organisation – have successfully sent probes and landers to Mars.

According to China Daily, CNSA plans to launch reach the red planet by the end of 2021. 

A space scientist and political advisor Ye Peijian told the news outlet: 'There are many challenges in front of us...but I think it is likely we will send the probe to Mars given our all-out efforts, the know-how we gained from past missions and everybody's support.'

China is expected to reveal more details about its mission to Mars this week.