China to Search for “Earth 2.0”

Ever since the rst discovery of a con rmed exoplanet, the search has been on to nd a planet not so di erent from our own. Now, China plans to join in that search.

Rapidly catching up with the West in sophisticated space missions and exploration, Chinese scientists have launched humans into space, started their own space

station, landed rovers on the Moon and on Mars, and have now set their sights on truly deep space. By 2026, they hope to launch a mission, dubbed Earth 2.0, sporting seven space-based telescopes that will scour the night skies holding the Cygnus-Lyra constellations.

China hopes to be the rst to nd a true Earth twin as its Earth 2.0 mission checks out as many as 1.2 million stars. „ey hope they might nd as many as a dozen Earth twins. Are we alone in the universe? Or are we just one of many? China hopes to nd out.