Credit: China Manned Space Engineering
A sweeping look at China’s past and future space agenda has been issued by that country’s State Council Information Office.
The white paper issued today is titled China’s Space Activities in 2011, but casts an eye forward as to where the spacefaring nation is headed.
“China will conduct studies on the preliminary plan for a human lunar landing,” the white paper notes, explaining that within the next five years the country will launch orbiters for lunar soft landing, roving and surveying.
China’s lunar probe projects are based on the idea of “three steps” — orbiting, landing and returning samples to the Earth.
To date, China has successfully launched two lunar probes, the Chang’e-1 on October 24, 2007, and Chang’e-2 on October 1, 2010.
China’s lunar exploration projects are geared to make on-the-spot analyses, scientific surveys of the lunar surface in landing and roving areas, as well as carry out environmental surveys of the lunar surface and make Moon-based astronomical observations.
Major tasks listed in the white paper for the next five years include space transportation system, Earth satellites, human spaceflights and deep-space exploration.
In November of this year, China accomplished its first unpiloted space rendezvous and docking test between the Tiangong-1 space lab module and Shenzhou-8 spaceship. Follow-up flight of a piloted craft to dock with the space lab is on the books – all in preparation for China to develop a larger space station in future years.
Covered within the white paper:
Purposes and Principles of Development; Progress Made Since 2006; Major Tasks for the Next Five Years; Development Policies and Measures; and International Exchanges and Cooperation.
For a look at the expansive white paper – China’s Space Activities in 2011 – go to:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2011-12/29/c_131333479.htm
By Leonard David