The National Space Administration (CNSA) is planning to launch a
space probe to Mars in 2009, an official with the bureau has
revealed.
The country would cooperate with Russia to launch two
satellites; one would be a Russian surface probe and the other
would take photographs while orbiting around the planet.
According to Zhang Wei, director of the CNSA external affairs
department, the bureau is preparing for the project.
"Modern space development has included a sequence of probes sent
to study various celestial bodies in the solar system. We want to
examine the system's evolution, search for space resources, and
discover the cause of catastrophes such as solar activities and
planets'crashes," Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist from the Chang'e-1
lunar orbiter project, said at Wednesday's Summit Forum of Space
Technologies.
China's first lunar satellite began orbiting the moon on the
morning of November 7 after the third and final braking during its
nearly 15-day journey. The launch is the first step in the
country's lunar program that includes landing a man on the surface
and building a station.
While there is still no published timetable for future projects,
CNSA is targeting other planets and comets, scientists from the
bureau disclosed.
(China.org.cn by Wu Jin November 9, 2007)