(LU JINBO)

Wang Yue, the only Chinese volunteer to participate in an international simulated Mars expedition, entered the Mars-500 module in Moscow, on June 3. He will spend 520 days with three Russians, a Frenchman and an Italian-Colombian in the facility in total isolation to imitate a manned flight to Mars.

Wang, the youngest member of the crew at 27, is a teacher at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing and is involved in the selection and training of astronauts for China's space program. He has a bachelor's degree in prevention medicine and a master's degree in aviation, space flight and marine navigation medicine.

The Mars-500 test is being conducted by the Russian Federal Space Administration, Russian Academy and European Space Bureau. The main goal of the experiment is to observe how isolation and space food over a long period affect the physical and mental health of astronauts.