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GRAND PLAN: China to Launch More Satellites
China plans to send an additional 30 satellites into outer space in the next five years with the aim of accelerating the development of the space industry, said Xu Fuxiang, head of Chinese Research Institute of Space Technology (CRIST), at a national forum on high-tech held recently in Beijing.
The satellites, with improved quality and function, will be used in fields such as telecommunications, weather forecasting, environmental protection and navigation, said Xu.
To date, China had successfully developed and launched 48 satellites, with a success rate of 90 percent.
China launched and recovered its second unmanned spacecraft, Shenzhou II, earlier this year following the maiden experimental space flight in late 1999. China will also carry out a number of unmanned flights to prepare for manned flights, said Xu.
As outer space exploration inspires people and leads to technologies that can benefit all people, China will continue to support outer space research and cooperation with other countries in this field, said Zhou Guangzhao, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress (NPC) Wednesday at a celebration gathering on World Space Week, an annual observance from October 4 to 10.
China has achieved outstanding results in many space programs, including launching satellites, rockets and outer space exploration, said Liu Jibing, Minister in charge of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (CSTIND).
Meanwhile, space technology has produced tools which are transforming weather forecasting, environmental protection, humanitarian assistance, education, medicine, agriculture and a wide range of other activities, he said.
As one of the events to mark this year's World Space Week, CSTIND has donated aviation and space flight gift books to more than 20,000 schools to increase science and space technology awareness among young people in China.
World Space Week marks the launching of the Sputnik-1 satellite in 1957 and the coming into force of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty which is honored in at least 20 countries.
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