- BEIJING (www.nando.net) - China plans to launch a manned spacecraft including
a lunar explorer in the near future, a leading Chinese space scientist
said here Wednesday.
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- "China is striving to make breakthroughs
in manned space flight technology at the end of this century or the beginning
of the next century, and will launch a small lunar explorer when possible,"
Ma Xingrui, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Space Technology (CAST)
said.
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- Ma told an international meeting of space
scientists here that the country's new space program included developing
large-capacity communication satellites to provide direct broadcasts, mobile
communications and multi-media communications, Xinhua reported.
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- It also plans to develop new remote sensors
and expand remote sensing spectrums based on the Zi Yuan-1 satellite, the
official news agency said.
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- China will use recoverable satellites
to conduct life science experiments and material processing research under
microgravity environment, provide piggyback services for international
customers, and develop spacecraft on the basis of recoverable satellite
technology.
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- There are also plans to develop small
and low-cost satellites to meet the requirements of space exploration and
international cooperation, he said.
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- "Our goal for space exploration
is to set up several application satellite systems which are badly needed
by the national economy and can operate stably for a long term," Ma
said.
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- He said to achieve this China must keep
certain satellites in orbit by prolonging the operating life of orbital
satellites as much as possible and launching replacement satellites in
time, so as to ensure the continuity of satellite applications.
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- "China will also develop new satellites
and some new types of other spacecraft to meet the demands of domestic
users and try to make a contribution to the development of world's economy,
science and technology," he added.
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- He said China would put a priority on
satellite payload technology and sophisticate satellite platform technology.
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- In a related development Xinhua also
reported the China Aerospace Corporation (CASC) had established complete
systems for research, design, development, production and testing various
space products such as launch vehicles and spacecraft.
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- The corporation, with nearly 10,000 research
scientists has ranked itself among the world's leading space industries
in some of the main areas in space technology, including satellite recovery,
launching multiple payloads and geostationary orbit satellite, Xinhua said.
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- Space scientists from the United States,
Japan and Europe are expected to discuss the latest space technology and
international cooperation in the 21st century with the Chinese researchers
during the three-day conference, it said.
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