China set to launch first lunar satellite
- From: "~)" <~)@.org>
- Date: Sun, 18 Mar 2007 08:49:34 +0800
China set to launch first lunar satellite
Beijing, March 17: China may launch its first lunar satellite in September this
year as part of the country's ambitious three-phase moon mission, a top Defence
official has said.
"Preparatory work for the Chang'e I Lunar Orbiter is going according to
schedule, and the orbiter may be launched in September this year," the Director
of the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence
(COSTIND), Zhang Yunchuan was quoted as saying by "People's Daily", the ruling
Communist Party's official mouthpiece.
The orbiter will provide 3D images of the moon's surface, analyse the
distribution of 14 usable elements on the moon, study lunar microwaves and
estimate the thickness of the moon's soil, Zhang said.
The launch of the orbiter is the first phase of China's moon exploration
programme. The second phase will involve the launching of a rover to the moon at
around 2012, he said.
In the third phase, another rover will land on the moon and return to earth with
lunar soil and stone samples, he said.
Last week, top Chinese space scientists, Huang Chunping and Qi Faren said the
country would launch a moon orbiter "some time" this year and stage a space walk
in 2008.
China this week unveiled an ambitious blueprint for developing space science up
to 2010 that includes the launch of the country's first astronomy satellite and
efforts to transform the nation into an "innovative country".
The astronomical satellite will carry a "hard X-ray modulation telescope," which
is being developed by Chinese scientists for launch in 2010, according to the
space science development plan.
Bureau Report
.
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