China is about to launch a moon probe

According to Xinhua, China will almost certainly launch the lunar exploration ship in the second half of this year, starting its three-phase Lunar exploration program.

On May 20, Xinhua said China insisted that 'there will be no time wasted' in preparing the unmanned spacecraft Chang'e 1 to explore the Moon in the second half of 2007.

Mr. Sun Laiyan, Director of the China National Space Administration, 'the Moon exploration project is the third milestone in the country's space technology, following satellite projects and spacecraft. Driving is done in recent years. At the same time, this project is also the first step in the process of space exploration far away from China's Earth. '

China insists that it will launch the lunar exploration ship in the second half of this year, beginning the Lunar exploration of the three phases.(Photo: Astronomy)

Sun said the Moon exploration program will be divided into three phases : 'flying around the Moon', 'landing on the Moon' and 'returning to Earth'.

The upcoming launch of the probe is the first phase of the program. Accordingly, Chang'e 1 ship will take the task of capturing 3-dimensional images of the Moon, surveying electromagnetic radiation, studying ultrasound and understanding the thickness of the Moon's surface, etc.

Phase 2 will bring the self-propelled vehicle to the Moon in 2012 to lower the soil and rock samples on this planet, and the third phase will take astronauts to the Moon sometime after 2017. Sun said the country will produce new generation missiles to launch spacecraft. These missiles will have characteristics: less polluting, less expensive, more powerful and better able to operate.

In a recent talk with students at Beijing Communication University, Sun Laiyan said the plan to launch the lunar exploration ship was published in the white paper on the country's space program.

China's ability to conquer space attracted the attention of the international community in January this year, when it successfully destroyed one of its obsolete satellites with a rocket launched. from Earth.

In October 2003, China became the third country in the world, after the US and the Soviet Union (old), succeeded in bringing people into space, when astronaut Yang Liwei entered orbit left. land on Shen Chau V. spaceship

Currently, China is preparing for a manned space expedition in 2008 - and in this expedition, Chinese astronauts will make space walks for the first time.

Sun said China will continue to undertake space exploration missions in the future. He emphasized: 'Space technology capacity reflects the comprehensive power of a country and is an important factor in modernizing its defense'.

According to Mr. Sun - who is also the chairman of China's Ministry of Defense's Science, Technology and Industry Committee - modern war heavily depends on information and high technology supported by space technology. He cited that in the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, most intelligence gathering, military communications, navigation, positioning and weather forecasts for the US military were carried out through satellite.

Minh Quang