China placed a rover on the moon that conducted a host of scientific tasks. Chinese scientists and engineers are now focusing on the third step of the nation's lunar exploration program－landing on the moon and returning to Earth with extracted samples.

Though the government has not announced an official plan for a Mars mission, Chinese scientists said they are convinced that a Chinese rover will soon appear on Mars.

Li Zhongbao, deputy president of the China Academy of Space Technology, said the display of the Mars rover model indicates Chinese scientists' confidence in fulfilling a Mars mission within a short time.

Since 1960, more than 40 probes have gone Mars, but only 19 have accomplished their tasks.

As of September, two US rovers were on the surface of Mars, beaming signals back to Earth－Opportunity, the Mars Exploration Rover mission, and Curiosity, the Mars Science Laboratory mission. Both were sent by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

In November, the Indian Space Research Organization launched its Mars Orbiter Mission. It successfully entered Mars orbit on Sept 24, making the Indian space organization the fourth to reach the planet, after the Soviet space program, NASA, and the European Space Agency.