People excited for successful launching of Shenzhou-6

China eyes 2017 moon landing

China eyes 2017 moon landing

Friday, November 4, 2005; Posted: 10:12 a.m. EST (15:12 GMT)

BEIJING, China (Reuters) -- China, which launched its first manned space mission just two years ago, plans to put a man on the moon around 2017 and investigate what may be the perfect source of fuel, a newspaper reported on Friday.

Two Chinese astronauts orbited Earth for five days last month in the Shenzhou VI and China was now developing new craft up to the Shenzhou X, eyeing a permanent space station and an eventual moon mission, state media said this week.

"China will make a manned moon landing at a proper time, around 2017," leading scientist Ouyang Ziyuan was quoted by the Southern Metropolis News as saying.

The project also includes setting up a moon-based astronomical telescope, measuring the thickness of the moon's soil and the amount of helium-3 on the moon -- an element some researchers say is a perfect, non-polluting fuel source.

Some scientists believe there is enough helium-3 on the moon to power the world for thousands of years.

"We will provide the most reliable report on helium-3 to mankind," Ouyang said.

The United States unveiled a $104 billion plan in September to return Americans to the moon by 2018. Its Apollo program carried the first humans to the moon in 1969.

China's first lunar orbiter could blast off as early as 2007, coinciding with its third manned space trip in which possibly three men would orbit Earth in Shenzhou VII and conduct a space walk. (Full story)

China was designing a rocket that could carry a payload of 25 tons, up from a present limit of eight tons, the Beijing News reported this week, though it would unlikely be ready for another six-and-a-half years.

Copyright 2005 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



forget NASA... im going to china in 2009 anybody want a signature before i walk on the moon?
:china: :china: :china:

don't really think they will send all three astronauts with experience up at once, maybe just 1 with 2 news ones or send 3 new ones up. it might be wise to send someone experienced up there if the next mission requires something difficult to be done like space walk or putting two parts of the shenzhou together (space station). the news report only says the 3 guys that have already gone up will be considered, but the chances of picking them again is very low, no one want to sacrifice a national hero for something that a "no ones knows" can do.

He's vince, ban him!
Hm, if it's old, then why has only 3 countries done it?
Actually, there is a resource on the moon you can bring back. It's called Helium 3. It is a very good material for generating nuclear power.

funny to see that russians have quite bright views of chinese spaceprogram...what do you guys think? Is this too blue-eyed idealism or does it have any base on it?...i'm not very knowlidgble of chisese space program...

From Pravda....
China set to conquer space, build orbital station and lunar base
11/25/2005 12:06
China is becoming the only world nation which is capable of competing with the United States in the field of the most important global issues

On October 17th, 2005, a return capsule of the Chinese spacecraft Shenzhou-VI successfully landed in Inner Mongolia. Two taikonauts (taikun - Great Emptiness) returned to Earth on board the spacecraft. The Chinese manned space mission duration was 115 hours and 30 minutes. Estimated cost of the Shenzhou program is $111 million.

The success of the second Chinese manned space mission created far-reaching geopolitical consequences that are a lot greater than a sheer technological achievement. "The ultimate goal of the Chinese manned space program is to build a permanent space laboratory and engineering system," said Tan Sianming, press secretary of the manned space program of China, shortly after the landing. The plan for 2007 features a spacewalk. A docking in orbit is slated for 2009-2012.

Today's China is becoming the only world nation which is capable of competing with the United States in the field of the most important issues in terms of technology and politics. China has an impressive economic foundation to rest upon. According to September report by Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), within the next five years China's economic growth rate will be higher than that in most Western countries.

Still, China has a lot of complex issues to resolve with regard to modernization of its technological and scientific capabilities. According to Chinese experts, power consumption required to produce $10 thousand worth of China's GDP equaled 11.8 million tons of comparison fuel in 2002. The amount is three times greater than that in the United States, it is five times greater than figures for Germany, and six times greater than figures for Japan. Excessive power consumption in China is at least 230 million tons of comparison fuel.

If China's economy develops as predicted by the OECD analysts, China will be able to commence the lunar exploration program at the end of a second decade of the 21st century.

Russian experts were asked to comment on two issues:

- The progress made by the Chinese manned space program;
- China's capability to build a space station and a lunar base in the foreseeable future

Lev Zeleny, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, director of the Institute of Space Studies:

"I know that the Chinese have a comprehensive multistage program for the exploration of the Moon. It looks like the program will be a success. A new generation of the Chinese is calling the tune out there. They are not like the Chinese we got used to in the past. It is largely the people who worked in the West for several years, they learned everything they could during their foreign experience. When they came back to China, the authorities created excellent working conditions for them. There are still some specialists who belong to the older generation but all of them play second fiddle to the young blood."

Leonid Gorshkov, doctor of technical sciences, professor, senior researcher at the Russian Space Corporation Energia

"I am really impressed by a cautious approach of the Chinese. They launch a spacecraft with animals once a year. Then they carry out the first manned mission. They launch the second manned mission after a considerable break. They are obviously very cautious. That is the way they have chosen.

"They unveiled their objectives and said that the job would be done in a very short period. However, it is quite difficult to make accurate predictions at the moment. All and all, the Shenzhou missions are a big success of the Chinese. I believe China will become a strong player in terms of international space exploration," the expert said.

Ivan Moiseev, scientific leader of the Institute of Space Politics:

"Unlike the USA and the USSR in the past, nowadays China is moving slowly yet surely while building up its space program. In terms of science and technology an emergency situation would be a very unpleasant thing to deal with for them. It would equally have a very negative impact on the social and political aspect of the program. Considering the above, I believe that a lunar space station will be completed in some fifty years or so. However, I view the launch of the second manned mission as a positive event," said he.

well, the russians probably see plenty of potential in the chinese space program, and probably plan to have joint space operations in the future. they're just giving some compliments to the chinese. the russian space base is probably the only one right now that can hope to compete with NASA.

MIGleader said:

well, the russians probably see plenty of potential in the chinese space program, and probably plan to have joint space operations in the future. they're just giving some compliments to the chinese. the russian space base is probably the only one right now that can hope to compete with NASA.

Click to expand...

what russian space base? do you mean the industrial/technology base supporting their space program?


as to the article and the opinions of the russians, I would agree with all but one point--I think the Chinese will have a lunar base sooner than in 50 years, maybe 25 or 30. But as was said, it is very difficult to make those kinds of predictions. The best you can do is set a lower limit on it--maybe at the very soonest a lunar base could happen for the Chinese in 20 years.

i don't think china can get a moon base in 15 years, remember that NASA plans to have a moon base in 15 yrs from now. and considering the funding, experience, manpower that NASA gets compared to the chinese space agency, it's much much bigger. also nasa have experience in spacewalks.. and lots of it... also experience in building space station. although building on the moon will be different from building ISS.. but the fundamentals are there. and china still need to develop new rockets for carrying all that load onto the moon... all of this need time to design, test, and perfect. so i'm thinking maybe a minimum of another 30 years are needed for a moon base. maybe in 20 yrs they can send men to the moon and back like the apollo missions but not a base. base = constant delivery of food, water, fuel, spares. just that is going to cost them.

PiSigma said:

i don't think china can get a moon base in 15 years, remember that NASA plans to have a moon base in 15 yrs from now. and considering the funding, experience, manpower that NASA gets compared to the chinese space agency, it's much much bigger. also nasa have experience in spacewalks.. and lots of it... also experience in building space station. although building on the moon will be different from building ISS.. but the fundamentals are there. and china still need to develop new rockets for carrying all that load onto the moon... all of this need time to design, test, and perfect. so i'm thinking maybe a minimum of another 30 years are needed for a moon base. maybe in 20 yrs they can send men to the moon and back like the apollo missions but not a base. base = constant delivery of food, water, fuel, spares. just that is going to cost them.

Click to expand...

I'd agree that NASA has more funding and experience, but if the PRC is willing to allocate the resources, a Moon base in 15 years is not impossible. A lot of things have already been done so it's not new territory. i.e. the Russians had their Salyut since 1971 and has tons of experience in operating space stations. Assuming if they're willing to share it, and the PRC is willing to pay for it, the PRC wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel.

However, I think the PRC government might NOT push for a Moon station with 15 year schedule because of their risk-avoidance approach. For an example, before sending a man to space they did 4 unmanned launches (Shenzhou 1-4) just to make sure that Yang Liwei is going to return safetly.

china space program has close to no budget compare to the USA and RUSSIA. it is virtually there just for show and never any commitment.

from past history, space program are only useful if maintainable. NASA when 40 years backward after the failure of maintaining the space shuttle. the russian energia (the only superbooster available) is also dysfunctional. so having the rocket tech is useless if you cannot maintain and use it.

same goes for space station; the ISS is in worst state than MIR was, without the large resupply from space shuttle. parts are abandon as there is no shuttle to carry them up and russian rockets can't fit them. the russian are going back to space tourist then sending scientist. so there is almost no development on ISS, looking more like a ultraexpensive clubhouse by the days. :nana:

as for NASA's new spacecraft: CEV is very similiar to the apollo but uses solar panel like the soyuz/shenzhou. so basically, everyone is back to using spacecraft based on1960s concept! :roll:

basically the space race is over and it has been in decline. china will drag the manned development as long as possible as the competition is going nowhere with it for the last 40 years. :coffee: space age spy technology is most useful for china than manned goals.

@ akinkhoo,

I have to disagree with you on almost every point you made.

1. I think China has made great achievments with its budget, and I see no reason to assume the chinese space program is just for show and 'no committment'. In my eyes, deciding to send humans into space in the early 90's and having achieved two successful manned flights by 2005 with many more (and more complex) planned is nothing but pure committment. Maybe it is mainly being done for national pride--I see nothing wrong with that. The benefits it brings China in high tech areas must be worth quite a bit, as well.

2. Having rocket tech is useless if you can't maintain it--sure is.

3. ISS is not in worse state than MIR was. MIR suffered an on board fire and a collision with a resupply vehicle. The ISS has minor maintenance problems--so no comparison if you ask me. The ISS's main problem is obviously continuing construction as about 20 more shuttle flights are necessary, and it seems not all of those will happen.

4. As for the CEV being 60s tech, well not quite. The CEV capsule concept is based on the same physics as the 60's Apollo capsule, and its mission (manned moon and mars missions) does not require any type of lifting body design, whereas the space shuttle was designed to carry large objects to and from orbit and be reusable. The space shuttle accomplished these design parameters but failed miserably in cost and reliablitiy/safety--the two mutually negatively influencing each other. It is time to move beyond a manned vehicle for delivering payloads into LEO. That is a mission easily done with conventional launchers.