![\"China's](\"https:\/\/wp-assets.futurism.com\/2019\/03\/mars-simulation-base-china-open-300x158.jpg\")
<\/div>Visitors Welcome<\/h2>
The Chinese city of Mang’ai is one of the most Mars-like places on Earth, featuring a similar climate and landscape to the Red Planet.<\/p>
That made it the perfect setting for a newly opened<\/a> Mars simulation base that China hopes will draw tourists — and maybe even help humanity reach the real Mars<\/a>.<\/p> China began construction on the base in June. According to a July report by the South China Morning Post,<\/em><\/a> the plan for the base includes a “Mars community” and a “Mars camp” designed to educate and entertain the public, while also providing a place for scientific research and simulation training.<\/p> Roughly $22.3 million later, the 53,330-square-meter base is now complete, welcoming its first public attendees on Friday.<\/p> The Global Times<\/em> claims that the project’s founder, Gao Junling, told the newspaper that visitors to the base will have a chance to “immerse themselves in the environment and try to solve problems they might face on Mars, such as planting potatoes on Mars for food supply and solar power generation.”<\/p> As Mars-like as the setting of China’s Mars simulation base might be, it’s still far more hospitable to humans than Mars — anyone visiting the Red Planet will need to contend with its low air pressure, stronger radiation, and regular sandstorms, Peking University space science professor <\/strong>Jiao Weixin told The Global Times<\/em><\/a>.<\/p> Still, if the base can provide researchers with an approximation of Mars for their experiments, while also getting the public — and young people, in particular — excited about space exploration, it could have a positive role to play in shaping humanity’s space-faring future.<\/p> READ MORE:<\/strong> China opens its first Mars simulation base in Qinghai Province<\/a> [The Global Times<\/em>]<\/p> More on Mars:<\/strong> China Plans to Launch a Mars Rover Next Year<\/a><\/em><\/p> The post China Opens Its First Mars Simulation Base<\/a> appeared first on Futurism<\/a>.<\/p> Read more: Visitors Welcome The Chinese city of Mang\u2019ai\u00a0is one of the most Mars-like places on Earth,\u00a0featuring a similar climate and landscape to the Red Planet. Continue reading Growing Potatoes<\/h2>
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China Opens Its First Mars Simulation Base<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"