New Delhi: China's 2020 first-ever Mars probe is already the talk of the town. After China released a list of eight shortlisted names for its Mars spacecraft, Xinhua space agency reported that the country is actually planning two Mars probes.


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Not just Mars, but China also plans to take its deep space exploration program forward by launching a probe to Jupiter.


China plans its first Mars probe by 2020, Wu Yanhua, Vice Director of the China National Space Administration, was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.


A second Mars probe will bring back samples and conduct research on the planet's structure, composition and environment, Wu said.


Also on the agenda are an asteroid exploration, and a fly-by of the Jupiter system.


China aims to become a space power around 2030, with an advanced and open aerospace industry and space infrastructure.


(With IANS inputs)