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China targets space station in 2020: report
Beijing (AFP) Nov 7, 2007 China is aiming to place a 20-tonne space station into orbit around Earth in 2020, state media reported Wednesday, in the latest indication of Beijing's lofty space ambitions. China's space ambitions have attracted huge attention, notably since 2003 when it sent a man into space, only the third country to accomplish that feat after the United States and the former Soviet Union. The timetable for China's first-ever space station was given by Long Lehao, one of the leading designers of the Long March 3A rocket which carried a lunar probe into space late last month, the China Daily reported. In an interview, he told the paper that the planned space station would be "a small-scale 20-tonne workshop." The paper said it was the first time a precise date had been given for the station. However, later in the day state-run Xinhua news agency quoted a spokesman of the China National Space Administration as saying there was still no specific timetable for a space station. "No plans issued by the government so far has said we are going to develop a space station," said Li Guoping, according to Xinhua. China has previously voiced interest in participating in the International Space Station being built in orbit jointly by the United States, Russia, Japan and a number of European countries. But the US military and some lawmakers have opposed China's involvement in the station and other space cooperation with Beijing, viewing Beijing's young space programme as a potential threat to the US satellite system. The China Daily did not explicitly say if the space station would be manned permanently. However, previous reports outlining China's medium- to long-term plans for space have suggested it would have a permanent crew. A crucial step in completing the plan will be construction of the powerful Long March 5 rocket, which will be capable of carrying heavier loads than the existing Long March 3, according to the paper. Long's remarks were published as China's first lunar probe, the Chang'e 1, entered into final orbit around the moon, where it will carry out measurements of the lunar surface for at least a year. Related Links The Chinese Space Program - News, Policy and Technology China News from SinoDaily.com
China's Lunar Probe Completes Last Orbital Transfer Before Leaving Earth
Beijing (XNA) Nov 01, 2007China's lunar probe Chang'e-1 completed its fourth orbital transfer on Wednesday afternoon, a critical move to push it to fly to the moon "in a real sense." The engine on the probe was started at 5:15 p.m.. Thirteen minutes later, the probe was successfully shifted to the earth-moon transfer orbit with an apogee of about 380,000 km. |
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