China Focus laboratory module Tiangong 1 (‘heavenly palace’) will be put into orbit. Shenzhou 8, 9 and 10 are meant to dock with Tiangong 1 to bring crews and cargo to set up this small orbital space laboratory complex. The second phase of the project is intended to be concluded when Shenzhou 11 takes one final crew to Tiangong 1.This would allow China to prepare and master the technologies necessary for the third phase of Project 921. The third and final phase of the project would be a basic but permanent space station, with a total mass of under 100 tonnes. Its core module, which would serve as living quarters for the permanent crew, would exceed 20 tonnes. This space station would also include a Shenzhou cargo and manned Shenzhou aircraft, as well as two other laboratory modules. The current plan is for the space station to be completed sometime around 2020.
Barking at the Moon China though, has plans of reaching further out into space than that. Putting satellites, modules and space stations in orbit around the Earth just isn’t enough of a challenge. The Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), also known as the Chang’e Program after the Chang’e lunar orbiters, has already finished its first of three phases. The longterm aim of the program is to explore the moon in preparation for sending the first Chinese crew there. CLEP ’s first phase meant sending t wo lunar probes, Chang’e 1 and Chang’e 2 to orbit the moon. Chang’e 1, launched in 2007, provided the most accurate and
highest resolution 3-D map of the moon surface ever created. It mapped the entire lunar surface, including the areas around the moon’s north and south poles, which hadn't been mapped by previous lunar missions. Chang’e 1 mapped and analysed the various chemical elements on the lunar surface, as well as probed the lunar soil to find out its features and depth. On its way to the moon, Chang’e 1 also collected data from the space environment between the earth and the moon, such as solar winds and the impact of solar activity. Its sister orbital probe, Chang’e 2, was launched in October 2010 and ended its mission earlier in summer 2011. Its purpose was similar to that of Chang’e 1, although
A manned lunar landing might be possible sometime between 2025-2030 its improved technology made a significant difference in the collected data. Chang’e 1 operated at a 20 0km orbit, whereas Chang’e 2 was flying at only 100km above the moon’s surface. That, in combination with Chang’e 2’s higher resolution camera, led to a better quality and resolution of the data. CLEP’s second phase, which hasn’t been initiated yet, involves sending yet another two spacecraft, namely the lunar landers Chang’e 3 and Chang’e 4, both carrying rover s, to the moon. T he six- wheeled rover that Chang’e 3 will carry has been under development since 20 02 in a
laboratory replicating the lunar surface. Its construction was completed last year and is due for launch in 2013. The moon rovers are designed for surface exploration in a limited area. The remote-controlled rovers will work on the lunar surface for three months and transmit videos in real time, collect and analyze soil samples, inspect the Moon’s surface and probe its resources. They also hope to provide the data necessary to determine a good spot to construct a future manned moon base. The third phase of the lunar exploration program is planned for 2017, and consists of an automated sample return. The aim of this mission, which will be carried out with Chang’e 5, is to collect up to 2kg of lunar samples and return them to Earth. After all this extraterrestrial probing and sampling, when is the first Chinese person due to take one small step for man and a giant leap for the People’s Republic on the moon? Alas, a manned lunar landing is still a bit away, it is estimated that such a journey might be possible sometime between 2025-2030.
Will Red China be First to Reach the Red Planet? If you think that China would settle with the moon, think again. Deep space exploration is the next step. In 2007 China signed an agreement with Russia for a joint ChineseRussian exploration of Mars, the biggest space collaboration bet we en the t wo nations. And, interestingly, it is scheduled for launch in November this year. China’s space probe, Yinghuo 1, will be sent to Mars together with the Russian spacecraft Fobos-Grunt. Yinghuo 1 is designed for a t wo year mission. The journey from Earth to Mars will take between 10 and 11.5 months, after which Yinghuo 1 is expected to go into orbit around Mars for one year. The probe will, amongst other things, investigate the plasma environment and magnetic field around the planet, observe Martian sand storms, measure ion escape, and possibly even take a picture or two to send home to the family. There are also plans to upgrade the lunar probe space crafts for future Mars explorations, and make the probes ‘smart’ enough to correct mistakes and navigate into Martian orbit by themselves. A signal between our red cosmic neighbour and our own terrestrial realm takes about 20 minutes to transmit; independent probes that can take care of their own business are essential, since transmitting information and commands from Earth would just take too long to repair any damages or manoeuvre the space craft in time. A few more kink s needs to be sor ted out before deep space exploration can become truly successful. China is currently constructing a monitoring network for the heavens, with large-calibre antennas and communication facilities. This network will have two monitoring stations when it’s done- one in China, which is supposed to be completed in 2012, and one in South
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