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Shenzhou VI |
Following the success of its second manned space mission, China’s space program aims to send humans to the Moon and establish a space station within the next 15 years.
“I believe that within the next 10 to 15 years, we will be capable of building our own space station and conducting a manned lunar landing,” said Hu Shixiang, Deputy Commander of China’s manned spaceflight program.
However, this goal awaits financial approval from the government, Hu explained, emphasizing that the space program must be aligned with the overall development of the country.
In October 2005, astronauts Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng completed their mission aboard Shenzhou VI, traveling a distance of 3.2 million kilometers in 115 hours and 32 minutes. China’s first manned space mission took place in 2003 when astronaut Yang Liwei orbited the Earth for 21 hours and 30 minutes.
Hu stated that China aims to master the technology necessary for conducting spacewalks and docking with the space station by 2012, and he noted that China is gradually developing its space program without competing with the United States. He emphasized that China’s objective is to use space exploration for peaceful purposes.
He also dismissed concerns that the space program incurs excessive costs for the country, highlighting that the recent space mission only cost $111.4 million, a modest figure compared to the $23.5 billion spent on pollution control last year.
