By the year 2010, China wants to be able to land an unmanned spaceship on the surface of the moon, television reported, citing officials at the space program.

China became the third country in the world to send a man into space when astronaut Yang Liwei orbited 14 times around the planet last month.

A mini-space race could be about to develop in Asia, as India has plans to reach the moon by 2008.

SPACE.WIRE