Space Day of China to be celebrated with academic, science-popularization activities

BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A series of activities, including academic conferences and science exhibitions, will be held to celebrate the upcoming Space Day of China, which falls on April 24, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced Tuesday.

The activities include the China Space Conference, the International Deep Space Exploration Conference, and the China Space Culture and Art Forum, as well as a series of exhibitions on space science popularization, etc., said Lyu Bo, deputy director of the Department of System Engineering of CNSA, at a press conference.

Meanwhile, over 400 other activities such as science popularization lectures, space knowledge competitions, and relevant seminars will be held nationwide.

Lyu noted that Space Day of China aims to inspire the public to learn scientific knowledge, generate innovative ideas, and carry forward the scientific spirit.

"Over the past year, China's space sector has achieved high-quality development and will embark on a new journey this year," he said.

Lyu noted that the CNSA would advance the fourth phase of the lunar exploration program and the planetary exploration project this year. China's space station, Tiangong, has entered a new phase of application and development. In addition, satellites, such as Macao Science 1, would be launched into orbit.

"We will further promote the comprehensive development of space science, space technology, and space applications," Lyu added.

Lyu also noted that over the past decade, the CNSA has cooperated with other countries on several major projects in space exploration, such as the China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite program, the China-France Oceanography Satellite, as well as the joint study of Chang'e-5 lunar samples, etc.

"The CNSA will continue advancing international cooperation in the sector," he added.

Also at the press conference, Guan Feng, executive director of China's Deep Space Exploration Lab (DSEL), said the lab would promote international cooperation to establish a future international lunar research station.

Starting in 2016, China chose April 24 as the Space Day of China to mark the launch of its first satellite "Dongfanghong-1" into space on April 24, 1970.