Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




DRAGON SPACE
China makes rapid progress, breakthroughs in space industry: white paper
by Staff Writers
Beijing (XNA) Dec 30, 2011


illustration only

A white paper published on Thursday said that China has made innovative achievements and breakthroughs in major space projects, and space technology has been upgraded remarkably.

The white paper, China's Space Activities in 2011, published by the State Council's Information Office, said that the country's Long March rockets have accomplished 67 successful launches, sending 79 spacecraft into planned orbits since 2006.

The Long March rocket series have been improved, and major progress has been made in the development of new-generation launch vehicles, the white paper said.

So far, China has developed Fengyun (wind and cloud), Haiyang (ocean), Ziyuan (resources), Yaogan (remote-sensing) and Tianhui (space mapping) satellite series, plus a constellation of small satellites for environmental and disaster monitoring and forecasting.

Fengyun satellites are now capable of global, three-dimensional and multispectral quantitative observation, and the first Haiyang dynamics environmental satellite launched in August, 2011 is capable of all-weather and full-time microwave observation, it said.

China has won successes in its high-capacity geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite communications platform, space-based data relays, tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C), and other key technologies, showing remarkable improvement in the technical performance of China's satellites and in voice, data, radio and television communications.

The paper said China has comprehensively launched the building of a Beidou regional navigation system, consisting of five GEO satellites, five inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) satellites and four medium-Earth-orbit (MEO) satellites.

Since April 2007, China has launched 10 such satellites and has been able to provide trial services for Asia-Pacific users, it said.

After successfully launching the Shenzhou-7 manned spaceship in 2008, China became the third country in the world to master the key technology of astronaut space extravehicular activity, the white paper said.

In September and November 2011, China successively launched the Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8 spaceship, and accomplished their first space rendezvous and docking test, laying the foundation for the construction of future space laboratories and space stations, it said.

In deep-space exploration, China successfully launched its first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, in 2007, retrieving a great deal of scientific data and a complete map of the moon, and successfully implementing a controlled crash onto the lunar surface.

The paper said the success of Chang'e-1 was another milestone for China's space industry, after man-made satellites and human spaceflight, signifying that China has become one of the countries capable of deep-space exploration.

China successfully launched its second lunar probe, Chang'e-2, in October 2010, and created a full higher-resolution map of the moon, and a high-definition image of Sinus Iridium, and completed several extended tests, including circling the Lagrangian Point L2, which laid the foundation for future deep-space exploration tasks, it said.

The white paper said China has improved its three existing launch sites in Jiuquan, Xichang and Taiyuan, enhancing their comprehensive test capabilities and high-intensity launching capabilities. China is building a new space launch site in Hainan to accommodate the launch of new-generation launch vehicles.

China has improved its TT&C ground stations and ships, and has established a very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) network comprising four observation stations and a data processing center, indicating that China has acquired space-based TT&C capabilities.

At present, China's TT&C network is expanding from the ground to space, and from geospace TT&C to deep-space TT&C. The network is able to not only satisfy satellite TT&C demands, but also support human spaceflight and deep-space exploration, it said.

The white paper revealed that using the Shijian satellites and Shenzhou spaceship, China has carried out space experiments in life science, materials science, fluid mechanics and other fields under conditions of microgravity and strong radiation. It has also conducted experiments on crop breeding in space.

China has monitored space debris, and given early warnings against them, ensuring safe flight of Chang'e-1 and Chang'e-2 lunar probes, and Shenzhou-7 manned spaceship.

China has steadily pushed forward its work on space debris mitigation, fully inactivating Long March rockets, and moving a few aging GEO satellites out of orbit, the white paper said.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

.


Related Links
-
The Chinese Space Program - News, Policy and Technology
China News from SinoDaily.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








DRAGON SPACE
China to launch Shenzhou-9, Shenzhou-10 spacecraft next year: spokesman
Beijing (XNA) Dec 30, 2011
China will launch the Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spacecraft and achieve space rendezvous and docking missions with the orbiting Tiangong-1 vehicle in 2012, a spokesman for the China National Space Administration said Thursday. Spokesman Zhang Wei made the announcement at a press conference held in Beijing for the release of a white paper titled "China's Space Activities in 2011." How ... read more


DRAGON SPACE
China to launch orbiters for lunar soft landing in next five years: white paper

Powerful Pixels Help Map The Apollo Zone

Peres promotes Israeli moon probe

Hundreds of NASA's moon rocks missing: audit

DRAGON SPACE
Arvidson To Be Participating Scientist on New Mars Rover

Wheel Passes Checkup After Stalled Drive

Meteorite Shock Waves Trigger Dust Avalanches on Mars

Opportunity at One of its Two Winter Spots

DRAGON SPACE
China to push forward human spaceflight projects in next five years: white paper

Journaling the Journey into Space

NASA Conducts Orion Parachute Testing for Orbital Test Flight

Astrophysicist John Grunsfeld to Head NASA Science Directorate

DRAGON SPACE
China issues white paper on space exploration

China makes rapid progress, breakthroughs in space industry: white paper

China to launch Shenzhou-9, Shenzhou-10 spacecraft next year: spokesman

China lays out five-year space plans

DRAGON SPACE
New crew arrives at international space station

NASA 'Smart SPHERES' Tested on ISS

Russia sends multinational crew to ISS

As Soyuz Rolls ISS Crew Work On Science

DRAGON SPACE
Orbcomm and SpaceX Improve Launch Plans for OG2 Satellites

Orbcomm Prepares For Launch Of Second AIS Satellite

Arianespace Completes 2012 With Soyuz Launch Partner Mission For Globalstar

Soyuz poised for Globalstar second-generation satellite launch at Baikonur

DRAGON SPACE
New Exo planets raise questions about the evolution of stars

Astronomers discover deep-fried planets

Two new Earth-sized exoplanets discovered

NASA Discovers First Earth-Size Planets Beyond Our Solar System

DRAGON SPACE
Raytheon Awarded Airborne Radar Contracts at Year's End Worth $320 Million

Tablets, e-readers closing book on ink-and-paper era

Better turbine simulation software to yield better engines

Kindle sales on fire: Amazon




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement