>>No relief there (rocket science) either for China bashers. China's
>>first space walk will happen sometime this October, probably after the
>>big Oct 1 CPC political pow wow. That removes the symbolism of Oct 1
>>and gives some breathing space in case there are delays. China's
>>space program engineering is 100 per cent Chinese.
>
> China's recoverablemoonrover expected in 2017
> + - 21:22, March 11,
2008http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90881/6371088.html
>
> China will have a recoverablemoonrover, which will carry back lunar
> soil samples, by 2017 if technical research "progresses smoothly,"
> said the chief designer ofChang'e-1, the country's firstmoonprobe,
> Tuesday.
>
> China plans to land a probe on themoonin 2013, said Ye Peijian,
> chief commander and designer of probe's satellite system, and an
> academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
>
> The milestoneChang'e-1 blasted off last October, marking the first
> step in China's ambitious three-stagemoonmission.
>
> "A recoverablemoonrover is a must, though it is a much tougher task
> than amoonlander," said Ye, also a member of the 11th National
> Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
> (CPPCC), on the sidelines of the annual full session of the top
> political advisory body.
>
> So far all data the experts have obtained about themoonis collected
> and processed by remote devices. Having that data examined hands-on by
> scientists will be an improvement, Ye said.
>
> "A recoverablemoonrover is also vital for a mannedmoonlanding," Ye
> said but added that China so far has no plan to land men on themoon.
>
> Scientists have been working on a recoverablemoonrover scheme, he
> said. "If the government approves it and we start technical
> preparation now, it will be finished in 2017."
>
> Ye also admitted that technical challenges remain concerning the
> landing mission.
>
> The soft landing vehicle andmoonrover should meet high technical
> standards as they will have to stay on themoonfor three months to a
> year, he said.
>
> "A night on themoonis equal to 14 days on the earth, during which
> the solar batteries cannot be recharged. It remains a question how the
> equipment will be kept warm and working," he said.
>
> The mission also needs a stable and powerful data transmission system
> as the information will be sent a distance of 380,000 km back to the
> earth, he said.
>
> The government has approved the scheme to develop a non-recoverable
> landingmoonrover and experts have started working on it, Ye said.
>
> The country will launch anothermoonorbiterChang'e-2 around 2009,
> which is expected to follow an orbit of 100 km above themoon's
> surface, 100 km lower theChang'e-1, Ye said.
>
> "We also hope to prolong the service of Change'-1 by three to six
> months," he said.
>
> Source: Xinhua
