[FPSPACE] China Space White Paper

[Dwayne Allen Day]

On Wed, 22 Nov 2000 M.Wade@iaea.org wrote:

> > http://www.spacechina.com/space-news/whitebook-english.htm

This is a general bland government document that nevertheless serves as a
good indicator of what the Chinese are interested in.  (White Papers are
usually only broad outlines.)

However, if you read it carefully, you will note what it does not say:

-no indication of when China plans on achieving manned spaceflight
-no mention of a space station
-no mention of lunar exploration (manned or otherwise)

Clearly their goals are space applications and commercialization, with
prestige lower on the list (pretty sensible, if you ask me).


DDAY


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Here is an except from the section on long-term developments:

The long-term development targets (for the next 20 years or more) are as
follows:

-To achieve industrialization and marketization of space technology and
space applications. The exploration and utilization of space resources
shall meet a wide range of demands of economic construction, state
security, science and technology development and social progress, and
contribute to the strengthening of the comprehensive national strength;

- To establish a multi-function and multi-orbit space infrastructure
composed of various satellite systems and set up a satellite ground
application system that harmonizes spacecraft and ground equipment to form
an integrated ground-space network system in full, constant and long-term
operation in accordance with the overall planning of the state;

- To establish China's own manned spaceflight system and carry out manned
spaceflight scientific research and technological experiments on a certain
scale; and

- To obtain a more important place in the world in the field of space
science with more achievements and carry out explorations and studies of
outer space.