China opens moon mission center

[Soham]

BEIJING, China (Reuters) -- China moved one small step closer to its goal of launching three unmanned missions to the moon by opening a lunar exploration center in Beijing, the China Daily reported on Tuesday.

The center, opened on Monday, would oversee the launch of a moon orbiter in 2007, a lunar lander in 2012 and a third satellite designed to reach the moon and bring back soil samples for research in 2017, the newspaper said.

"The center has also recruited a galaxy of promising and enterprising scientists to work on the lunar missions," it said.

China has developed an ambitious space program since its first Long March rocket blasted off in 1970. It became the third country to send a man into space in October 2003 and regularly puts research satellites in orbit.

The lunar orbiter scheduled for 2007 would have a one-year mission of mapping the moon's surface and studying its mineral content, the head of the program has said.

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[vincent]

I think most of the mapping they say there gonna do has already been done, no? :huh:

Drilling for minerals would be the next thing to do there, other than that exploration of the moon shouldn't be much of a big deal, there is basically nothing there of any major importance. Other than the study of it's geological history. We need to focus on Mars.

[Boffa Jones Veteran]

I think the whole thing is just wetting their feet, getting up there making sure the usa isn't hiding anything(russia too?), maybe an excuse to get something else in space a step towards a moon base even.

[vincent]

Ok, that i can see a moon base would be cool to have, as well as a big ass telescope. The dark side of the moon is said to reveal a view of the universe like noone has seen before, un-obscured by sunlight the viewing potential has to be magnificent.

[Commodore Max]

It's been a while since anyone's been to Mars. That's pretty cool !