China's first Mars-themed base offers simulated outer space tourism

China's first immersive Mars-themed real-scene base in northwest China's Gansu Province has deeply integrated aerospace knowledge and technologies with local landform, presenting a vivid platform for visitors to have an unforgettable experience about "outer space" tourism.

Located in the Gobi desert of Jinchang in Gansu and covering 67 square kilometers, the colossal Mars survival simulation base camp codenamed "Mars Base 1," boasts various facilities for visitors to experience, including simulated models of Mars probes, Mars rovers, starry sky tents and 3D-printed Mars nests.

"I saw a video about the landscapes here simulating Mars, when I was amazed. Now I'm here to find red sandstone, Mars rover and nests printed with 3D technology. It really felt like I had traveled to the outer space," said Zhang Chengxu, a visitor.

"Such training equipment like three-dimensional rolling rings and centrifuges, though simplified versions, still offer an intuitive experience that cannot be felt in books or videos, which is very interesting," said An Xin, another visitor.

The base has developed over 30 immersive projects for visitors to witness simulated rocket launches, experience manual rendezvous and docking, and observe how hydroponic plants to grow in a simulated Martian environment.

"What impressed me the most this time was witnessing the launch of the rocket models on the spot. It feels like I was witnessing the success of a space mission," said Qin Ningmin, another visitor.

China's first Mars-themed base offers simulated outer space tourism

China's first Mars-themed base offers simulated outer space tourism

Year-end box office revenues in China are strong, with sales and pre-sales for screenings between Nov 28 and Dec 31 exceeding 4 billion yuan (about 570 million U.S. dollars) by 22:45 on Thursday, according to online platform data.

The strong performance in the year-end season has been driven by high-quality moviemaking and a broad selection of movies, with more than 50 films scheduled for release during the period, covering suspense, drama, action and science fiction.

Among domestic productions, war drama "Gezhi Town", which tells the little-known story of civilians in a remote mountain town in central China defending their home against Japanese aggression back in the late 1930s, has raked in over 330 million yuan (about 46.87 million U.S. dollars) at the box office, including previews and pre-sales.

Several other domestic titles, including suspense films "The Fire Raven" and "Escape from the Outland" as well as the fantasy time-travel adaptation "Back to the Past," are set to be released on Dec 31, offering audiences many different options for New Year's Eve.

On the imported film front, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," the third installment of the franchise which features new adventures and upgraded 3D visuals, will hit Chinese theaters on Dec 19.

Another import, "Zootopia 2," has already grossed over 3.6 billion yuan (about 511 million U.S. dollars) in China, surpassing its North American earnings and making China the film's top-grossing market worldwide.

China's year-end box office revenues surpass 4 billion yuan