Confident China ventures further into space
Print Edition
Chinese space experts have strengthened international exchanges in the latest achievements in exploring the moon, Mars, Jupiter, asteroids and the deeper cosmos.
While developing the Chang鈥檈-5 and Chang鈥檈-6 lunar probes and China鈥檚 first Mars probe, the China Academy of Space Technology is also pushing forward space programs such as the planned unmanned lunar research station, and probing asteroids, Mars, the Jovian system and the edge of the solar system, as well as interplanetary exploration, experts from CAST said.
They were speaking to more than 370 experts from home and abroad at a recent international symposium on lunar and deep space exploration in Beijing.
Deng Zongquan, of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor with the Harbin Institute of Technology, introduced many creative ideas at the symposium on designing future probes and rovers for exploring the moon and Mars.
The design of the future lunar and Mars rovers could be different from the six-wheeled lunar rovers Yutu and Yutu-2, already sent onto the moon, Deng said.
Four-wheeled and eight-wheeled rovers also have advantages. For instance, the eight-wheeled rover could have a better carrying capacity and be used in building lunar scientific research station, he said.
Chinese experts are also developing drilling technology and research on ice detection methods on the moon, he said.
China recently unveiled its plan to explore an asteroid and a comet, inviting scientists globally to participate.
Scientific objective
The mission will involve exploring a near-Earth asteroid, named 2016HO3, and a main-belt comet, named 133P, according to the China National Space Administration.
Huang Jiangchuan, a researcher at CAST and chief designer of the Chang鈥檈-2 probe, said the first asteroid probe is expected to be launched before 2025.
He said the scientific objective of the exploration includes studying the formulation and evolution of the solar system, the role of near-Earth asteroid and main-belt comet impacts on the origin of life, and the formation dynamics of the solar system鈥檚 small bodies.
The target 2016HO3 has a very close relationship with Earth and is called a 鈥渕ini moon鈥 or a quasi satellite of Earth, according to Huang.
鈥淲here is it from? What鈥檚 its relationship with Earth and moon? Those are questions we want to know,鈥 he said.
The second detection target of the mission, the comet 133P, probably contains water based on observation on Earth, and the exploration will help study its volatilization mechanism.
鈥淲e are facing great technological challenges in exploring asteroids and comets due to meager understanding about their detailed features and high uncertainty,鈥 he added.
鈥淐ompared with Japan, Europe and the United States, China is a latecomer in the exploration of asteroids and comets. We need to go faster, and we hope the mission will have multiple goals and can satisfy scientists鈥 curiosity,鈥 said Huang.
Athena Coustenis, a Paris Observatory astrophysicist, said European scientists are keen to collaborate with China on the asteroid exploration mission.
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