Manned Chinese moon mission a long way off, says official
Posted on: Thursday, 29 December 2005, 21:00 CST
BEIJING (Reuters) - A manned Chinese mission to the moon is still a long way off, a state newspaper said on Friday.
"Sending a man to the moon? It would be a one-way ticket if we do it now, given the thrust of our rockets at present is not strong enough," the China Daily quoted Luan Enjie, head of the country's lunar exploration programme, as saying.
Planning for China's lunar exploration project has been underway since early 2004.
China launched its first man into space in 2003, and in October 2005 it sent another spacecraft carrying two men into orbit for five days. Another manned orbit is planned for 2007.
A "round the moon" project, the first major step in China's lunar exploration plans, is still on schedule to be launched in 2007, Luan was quoted in state media as saying on Thursday.
The unmanned lunar orbiter is part of China's plan to eventually land astronauts -- called "taikonauts" by the Chinese government -- on the moon before 2020.
Source: REUTERS
Related Articles
- NASA to Hold Briefing About Lunar Exploration Concepts and Plans
- Back to the Moon: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Project
- Science Group Backs NASA Lunar Exploration Plans
- China to Enjoy More International Cooperation in Future Lunar Exploration
- China's Moon Orbiting Mission Takes Step Forward
- Russia, China to Cooperate in Lunar Exploration - Official
- Precursor to the New Lunar Exploration Fleet
- Orbital Selected By NASA for $6 Million Lunar Exploration Study Contract
- Indian Space Research Organization chief in India's lunar exploration plans
- China Maps Out Lunar Exploration Plans
User Comments (1)
| 1. |
Posted by anna on 12/26/2006, 22:28 needs more information, more detailed. |
RSS Feeds