China and Russia singed an agreement in Moscow on increasing cooperation to explore Mars and one of its moons in 2009, according to news released by China National Space Administration.

According to the agreement, a micro-satellite developed by China will be launched along with "Phobos Explorer", the Russia spacecraft, atop a Russian rocket in 2009.

After entering Mars' orbit, the Chinese micro-satellite will detach from the Russian spacecraft, and probe the planet's environment.

The "Phobos Explorer" spacecraft, parts of which were developed by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, will land on Phobos, a Martian moon, and return to Earth with soil samples.

The agreement is a milestone in space cooperation between the two countries. The two nations have taken a important step toward working on a large space program.

Monday's agreement was signed between the China National Space Administration and the Russian Federal Space Agency and witnessed by the two countries' presidents.

By People's Daily Online