Houston Community News >> China Outlines Space Program Till 2010
3/19/2007- China's space
program scientists have published outlines of plans to begin development of a
space laboratory and spacewalking by Chinese astronauts by 2010.
The plans are among goals published by the Commission of Science Technology and
Industry for National Defense in its 11th five-year (2006-2010) plan for space
science development.
The blueprint states that China will continue to conduct manned space flight and
lunar exploration.
Other plans include:
-- A Moon orbit in 2007 to acquire "three-dimensional pictures".
-- Rendezvous and docking of space-craft.
-- Development of an hard-X ray modulation telescope for China's first
astronomical satellite in 2010 to research black holes.
-- The launch of the Shijian (Practice)-10 scientific recoverable satellite in
2009 to conduct micro-gravity and space life experiments.
-- Participation in the space environment exploration program and the World
Satellite Observatory of Ultra-Violet Radiation project with Russia and the
solar burst exploration mini-satellite project with France.
-- Further research on a solar telescope and preliminary research on Kuafu
project, a comprehensive research project on the sun.
Space science is the driving force of science and technology development,
officials with the commission said and added these space programs would have
deep and important effect.
(Contributed by Xinghua)