Fwd: Experts discuss future of China's space race in Harbin

Sent from my iPad

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: August 20, 2015 at 8:50:44 PM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Experts discuss future of China's space race in Harbin

WantChinaTimes.com

Knowing China through Taiwan
Thursday, August 20, 2015

Experts discuss future of China's space race in Harbin

• Staff Reporter
• 2015-08-20
• 11:34 (GMT+8)

A screenshot of the Yutu (Jade Rabbit) surface exploration rover carried by the Chang'e 3 going into hibernation on the surface of the moon, featured on state broadcaster CCTV, Dec. 26, 2013. (Photo/CFP)

After making significant progress in its three-phase moon exploration plan over the last ten years, there has been some speculation over how China will continue space exploration ambitions, according to the Shanghai-based New Outlook.

Some have asked when China will land a person on the moon and when the country will send a mission to Mars, the piece said. This was a topic of discussion at a recent conference held by the space exploration technology commission of the China Society of Astronautics in Harbin that was attended by over 200 Chinese and foreign experts. A manned lunar mission, a manned space exploration mission and a manned mission to Mars were all among proposals discussed at the conference.

At the conference, held at the Harbin Institute of Technology, Liu Jizhong, director of the Lunar Exploration Program and Space Engineering Center under the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence, said China's space ambitions will revolve around Mars exploration, the next stages of lunar exploration and related research, and asteroid exploration as well as the exploration of Jupiter and beyond.

Liu made reference to 10 major international astronautic events last year, seven of which involved space exploration, such as the maiden flight of the American new-generation Orion spacecraft, the European Space Agency's landing of the Rosetta probe on a comet and China's three-stage unmanned mission to the moon and back. In the next 10 years there will be around 40 space missions, involving the US, Russia, Europe, Japan, India, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, Liu said.

Liu said the exploration of space is exploration of the unknown and that China should make use of its own creativity and not simply follow the path established by others. He said there are still many challenges to be overcome in future space exploration, such as how to increase the speed of space travel and how to resolve issues of fuel and power for missions further from the Earth, as well as the use of increasingly maneuverable robots to allow the exploration of hostile environments.

He said China needs to strengthen its planetary science research and called for greater international cooperation.

The chief engineer of China's lunar exploration plan and the head of the space exploration technology commission of the China Society of Astronautics, Wu Weiren, said the moon is the starting point for China's future space exploration plans. He said China's Chang'e 1, 2 and 3 spacecraft have all seen success. After Chang'e II completed a 100-kilometer-high lunar orbit in the L2 position of orbit, it passed by asteroid 4179 Toutatis and has now become a satellite orbiting the sun. It is expected to return to an area close to the Earth in 2029.

Wu said there needs to be improvement to space exploration technology in the following areas: trajectory design, autonomous technology, new forms of energy and propulsion technology, space monitoring technology and load-bearing capabilities.

References:

Liu Jizhong　　劉繼忠

Wu Weiren　　吳偉仁

 

 

Copyright © WantChinaTimes.com