BEIJING: China plans to carry out a series of massive space programs in the near future, according to a senior official of the China National Space Administration.
Bian Zhigang, deputy director of the space administration, said on Thursday at a news conference in Beijing that the administration is working on two new lunar expeditions and three deep-space exploration missions.
“We are developing the Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8 robotic probes. Chang’e 7 will be sent to the lunar South Pole region on the moon to conduct environmental and resources surveys, while Chang’e 8 will undertake technology demonstrations for in-situ resources utilization,” he told Chinese and foreign journalists attending the news conference, which was hosted by the State Council Information Office.
Bian did not mention when the two lunar probes are scheduled for launch, but information published by the space administration indicates that Chang’e 7 will be launched around 2026 and Chang’e 8 around 2028.
The Chinese government has approved three new deep-space exploration missions to enable scientists to advance their research on the origins and evolution of the solar system, the impacts of small celestial bodies and solar activities on Earth, the possibility of extraterrestrial life, and other such significant scientific issues, according to the senior official. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
