5/19/2010， By Jia Xu (chinadaily.com.cn) Russia on Tuesday announced the first simulated Mars trip will be lunched on July 3, 2010, and seven participants are ready for the 520-day simulation flight to Mars with Wang Yue, the only Chinese professional astronaut, listed in the crew, Chinanews.com reported on Wednesday.
The crew consists of six principal participants and back-up ones. Beside China's Wang, the other crew members are four Russians, one French, and one Italian. The back-up is still to be decided.

Wang, 27, was picked after a series of examinations including physical check-up and psychological examinations.

"I think Mars500 must be a milestone in the human space race, in human space history," He said. "Space exploration is difficult and huge; it needs international cooperation, so I am lucky to be here." said Wang during the news conference in Moscow Tuesday.