Japan - China race to the moon

Japan said scientists in Tokyo are now pursuing a major project to land on the moon. China also announced that the country is now ready to study the surface of the moon. Both of these Asian powers are trying to become the first country in the continent to bring unmanned explorers to the moon's orbit.

The Japan Space and Space Agency said Japan's SELENE satellite research project on the moon is now ready to be launched on September 13, after years of mechanical and technical problems.

Japan has spent US $ 276 million on the SELENE project, considered the largest moon exploration program since the US launched the Apolo on the planet.

(Photo: PhysOrg.com) The SELENE project plans to place a main satellite on the moon's orbit and two smaller satellites placed at the poles of the moon to study the planet's formation and development.

Meanwhile, public opinion in Beijing has also suggested that China will launch Moon Chang'e 1 to the universe in September. So far moon exploration satellite and Chinese Changzheng-3 boosters have passed all tests and tests.

The construction of the rocket launcher has also been completed. Last month, the country's Defense Technology Minister told Chinese Central Television CCTV that everything was ready for China to launch a satellite to explore the lunar surface later this year.

China's $ 185 million Chang'e 1 lunar exploration ship, using floating cameras, X-ray spectroscopy devices to obtain three-dimensional images of the moon's surface , helps analyze sand and stones on this planet.

Although Japanese and Chinese officials have never admitted that the two countries are competing in the exploration of the moon, in fact the preparation for similar projects in each country is always inferior. How much each other.

Mr. Yasunori Motogawa, a project director of the Japan Aerospace Agency, said he himself did not raise a win or lose, but he believed Tokyo would launch moon exploration satellite before China because Japan had superior technology. He confirmed that Japan will launch a moon exploration satellite in the future will be a technological breakthrough.

Japanese H-2A boosters leave the launch pad
(Photo: People.com.cn)

Over the years, China has achieved remarkable advances in space technology, reaping a lot of cosmic achievements to admire the world.

In 2003, China succeeded in bringing people to space and returning to Earth safely. This event makes China the first country in Asia to bring people to orbit.

A few months ago, China gained new achievements that shocked people, for the first time in the world, Chinese scientists used anti-satellite missiles fired from the ground to destroy a satellite on the fund. religion.

But Japan is always right behind China. After decades of research and experimentation, Japanese space scientists in January succeeded in designing a network of four spy satellites that allowed monitoring of any point on the earth. .

Japan plans to bring people to the moon by 2025. China plans to send people to the moon during the next 15 years.