The Beijing Institute of Environmental Features, under the Second Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, has developed a device with a diameter of 5 meters, capable of providing illumination stronger than natural sunlight. It will be used to test the reliability of China’s space probes and planetary rovers. China plans to send an unmanned Mars probe to orbit and land on the red planet around 2020. Moreover, the country will build a manned space station around 2022.
CAS news release, July 19, 2016
China develops „artificial sun“ for Mars mission