“These works have laid a strong basis for the manned lunar exploration mission,” Mr. Ji mentioned throughout a information convention on the Jiuquan launch heart, earlier than making an allusion to Chinese language mythology: “I consider the dream of Chinese language individuals to embrace the moon from the ninth heaven will come true within the close to future.”
However sending an individual to the moon has been achieved. Sending an individual to Mars is a fair larger prize for China. It has positioned an emphasis on shortening the period of such a visit, maybe with nuclear propulsion as a substitute of standard rocket engines. Officers are additionally decided that any journey will probably be a round-trip from which all astronauts return alive and in good well being.
“Technically, it’s possible in concept, nevertheless it has big challenges in engineering as a result of the size may be very massive, we have now estimated no less than 900 days of journey” primarily based on present applied sciences, Mr. Zhou mentioned.
With nuclear propulsion, the journey might be trimmed to 500 days, he mentioned, with out predicting whether or not China would undertake that strategy.
Huang Weifen, chief designer of China’s astronaut program, mentioned she was taking a look at methods to make it possible for astronauts might keep wholesome for a 500-day journey.
“It’s one other qualitative leap in flying — a really massive problem for individuals when it comes to the medical points, the psychological points and residing ensures,” she mentioned.
Regardless of all these difficulties, China is intent on sticking to its long-term plan for area.
“Touchdown on the moon, touchdown on Mars, are very important progress within the growth of human civilization,” Mr. Zhou mentioned. “We could perceive and notice its additional worth step-by-step. However its function within the growth of our human civilization is big, so it’s price our efforts — it’s price preventing for.”
Li You contributed analysis from the Jiuquan Satellite tv for pc Launch Middle.