China tests Mars lander in international cooperation push
(World News Science)

China invited observers to a successful test Thursday of its Mars lander as the country pushes for inclusion in more global space projects. The demonstration of hovering, obstacle avoidance and deceleration capabilities was conducted at a site outside Beijing simulating conditions on the Red Planet, where the pull of gravity is about one third that of Earth. Advertising China plans to launch a lander and rover to Mars next year to explore parts of the planet in detail. China’s burgeoning space program achieved a lunar milestone earlier this year by landing a probe on the...