- China is well on its way to sending an unmanned space
probe to fly to the moon, with the first orbiter spacecraft expected to
take off within three years, chief lunar exploration scientists confirmed
Monday.
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- "We are following the prescribed order of developing
the necessary systems for lunar exploration, such as those for orbiter
control and monitoring, data processing as well as the carrier rocket and
explorer satellite,'' said Ouyang Ziyuan of the Chinese Academy of
Sciences.
-
- Lunar probes are always a subject of great interest,
given the Earth's nearest neighbour probably holds the key to humanity's
future subsistence and development, experts said.
-
- Ouyang, chief scientist of the lunar exploration project,
said Chinese technicians and experts are working assiduously to ensure
the success of the nation's maiden lunar mission.
-
- They are developing China's first lunar exploration
craft,
which, weighing around two tons, is projected to orbit the moon for at
least 12 months.
-
- The lunar orbiter was named "Chang'e-I,'' an
apparent
reference to an ancient legend about the fairy Chang'e who flies to the
moon.
-
- To send the orbiter to circle the moon, which is on
average
around 384,400 kilometres away from the Earth, Chinese scientists will
have to readjust the speed of the orbiter many times after it blasts off,
said Ye Peijian, chief designer of the spacecraft.
-
- It will take up to nine days for the lunar orbiter to
reach its preset orbit around the moon, the latest issue of China Space
News quoted Ye as saying.
-
- China's lunar exploration programme has gained expertise
and experience from the country's first manned space flight, which was
conducted in mid-October, Ouyang said without elaborating.
-
- Sending an unmanned craft to orbit the moon only
constitutes
the first phase of China's lunar probe scheme, Ouyang said.
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- In addition to obtaining three-dimensional images of
the lunar surface, this part of the mission will also deal with analyzing
the content and distribution of useful elements on the moon's surface,
measure the density of lunar soil and explore the lunar environment,
according
to Luan Enjie, director of the China National Space Administration.
-
- Luan said earlier he anticipated the orbiting phase to
be completed by 2007 and the country will send a probe which will land
and return from the moon with lunar soil and rock samples by 2010.
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- http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-12/08/content_288360.htm
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