China aims to send man on moon in 15 years (Reuters/China Daily) Updated: 2005-11-28 06:49
Fresh from its second manned space mission, China's space program wants to be
able to put a man on the moon and build a space station in 15 years, an official
said Sunday. "I think in about 10 to 15 years, we will have the ability to
build our own space station and to carry out a manned moon landing," said Hu
Shixiang, deputy commander of China's manned space flight program.
But the goal is subject to getting enough funds from the government, Hu said,
explaining that the space program must fit in the larger scheme of the country's
overall development.
Hu was in Hong Kong with the two astronauts who conducted China's second
successful manned space mission in October. He spoke during a televised
question-and-answer session with executives from various television stations and
newspapers.
Astronauts Fei
Junlong (L) and Nie Haisheng wave to wellwishers a variety show at the
Hong Kong Stadium where they were welcomed by HK Chief Executive Donald
Tsang and some 40,000 people. [newsphoto] |
Nie Haisheng and Fei Junlong circled Earth for five days aboard the Shenzhou
6 capsule, traveling 2 million miles in 115 hours, 32 minutes. China's first
manned mission was in 2003, when astronaut Yang Liwei orbited for 21 1/2 hours.
China wants to master the technology for a space walk and docking in space by
2012, Hu said. He said China was developing its space program at its own pace,
not in competition with the United States. "It's not the competition of the Cold
War era," he said.
Hu stressed China's intention to use space exploration for peaceful ends,
saying the government "is willing to work hard with people around the world for
the peaceful use of space."
He said Chinese space officials want to study the possibility of making
rockets with the capacity to carry spacecraft weighing 27.5 tons — three times
the capacity of their existing rockets — but the government hasn't approved the
funding.
Hu dismissed suggestions the space program is too costly for a country that,
despite rapid economic growth, is still struggling to eradicate rural poverty.
He noted the recent space mission cost $111.4 million, compared to the $23.5
billion that China spent on combating pollution last year.
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