China on Tuesday issued a white paper on the development of space industry since 2011 and major tasks for the next five years.
The white paper, titled "China's Space Activities in 2016," said that China always adheres to the principle of exploration and utilization of outer space for peaceful purposes.
The white paper was issued by the State Council Information Office.
China plans to launch first Mars probe by 2020
China plans to launch its first Mars probe by 2020 to carry out orbiting and roving exploration, said a white paper released by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday.
"China intends to execute its first Mars exploration operation, and grasp key technologies for orbiting, landing and roving exploration," said the document titled "China's Space Activities in 2016."
It will conduct further studies and key technological research on the bringing back of samples from Mars, asteroid exploration, exploration of the Jupiter system and planet fly-by exploration, according to the white paper.
"When conditions allow, related projects will be implemented to conduct research into major scientific questions such as the origin and evolution of the solar system, and search for extraterrestrial life," it said.
China to achieve mankind's 1st soft landing on moon's far side around 2018
China will launch the Chang'e-4 lunar probe around 2018 to achieve mankind's first soft landing on the far side of the moon, said a white paper released by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday.
The Chang'e-4 lunar probe will "conduct in situ and roving detection and relay communications at earth-moon L2 point," said the document titled "China's Space Activities in 2016."
China will continue its lunar exploration project in the next five years, and strive to attain the automated extraterrestrial sampling and returning technology by space explorers.
It plans to fulfill the three strategic steps of "orbiting, landing and returning" for the lunar exploration project by launching the Chang'e-5 lunar probe by the end of 2017 and realizing regional soft landing, sampling and return, according to the white paper.
Through the lunar exploration project, topographic and geological surveys will be implemented and laboratory research conducted on lunar samples, it said.
"Geological survey and research as well as low-frequency radio astronomy observation and research will be carried out targeting the landing area on the far side of the moon for a better understanding of the formation and evolution of the moon," it added.
China to offer global satellite navigation service by 2020
China plans to form a BeiDou network consisting of 35 satellites for global navigation services by 2020, said a white paper released by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday.
The country plans to start providing basic services to countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-century Maritime Silk Road in 2018, said the document titled "China's Space Activities in 2016."
China is to continuously enhance the service capacities of the BeiDou-2 in the next five years, according to the white paper.
It aims to provide all clients with more accurate and more reliable services through advancing the ground-based and satellite-based augmentation systems, it said.
China to activate heavy-lift launch vehicle project in next five years
China will activate the heavy-lift launch vehicle project in next five years, said a white paper released by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday.
"Endeavors will be made to research key technologies and further study the plans for developing heavy-lift launch vehicles," said the document titled "China's Space Activities in 2016."
Breakthroughs are expected in key technologies for the overall system, high-thrust liquid oxygen and kerosene engines, and oxygen and hydrogen engines of such launch vehicles.
China will also develop and launch medium-lift launch vehicles which are non-toxic and pollution-free, improve the new-generation launch vehicle family, and enhance their reliability, according to the white paper.
Meanwhile, China will conduct research into the technologies for low-cost launch vehicles, new upper stage and the reusable space transportation system between Earth and low-Earth orbit, it said.
China to improve space debris database, spacecraft protection
China will enhance the space debris basic database and data-sharing model, and advance the development of space debris monitoring facilities, according to a white paper released on Tuesday.
The white paper, titled "China's Space Activities in 2016," said China will improve the standardization system for space debris, near-earth objects and space climate in the next five years.
"It will enhance the space debris basic database and data-sharing model, and advance the development of space debris monitoring facilities, the early warning and emergency response platform and the online service system, through reinforcing integrated utilization of resources," the white paper said.
The protection systems of spacecraft will be further strengthened. Efforts will be made to improve the space environment monitoring system and to build a disaster early warning and prediction platform to raise the preventative capability, said the document issued by the State Council Information Office, It said that China will conduct studies on the building of facilities for monitoring near-earth objects, to elevate the country's capability to monitor and catalog such objects.
China to expand int'l cooperation on space sciences
China on Tuesday issued a white paper summarizing international cooperation on space sciences since 2011 and the key areas for further cooperation in the next five years.
The white paper issued by the State Council Information Office, titled China's Space Activities in 2016, said that China always adheres to the principle that international exchanges and cooperation should be strengthened on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, peaceful utilization and inclusive development.
Since 2011 China has signed 43 space cooperation agreements or memoranda of understanding with 29 countries, space agencies and international organizations.
It has taken part in relevant activities sponsored by the United Nations and other relevant international organizations, and supported international commercial cooperation in space. These measures have yielded fruitful results.
In the next five years China will conduct extensive international exchanges and cooperation concerning space in several key areas, such as construction of the BRICS remote-sensing satellite constellation, and construction of the Belt and Road Initiative Space Information Corridor.
Moreover, cooperative researches on space law, policy and standards and personnel exchanges will be further enhanced in the space field.
China opposes weaponization, arms race in outer space: white paper
China always adheres to the principle of the use of outer space for peaceful purposes, and opposes the weaponization of or an arms race in outer space, said a white paper on Tuesday.
The white paper, titled "China's Space Activities in 2016," said the country develops and utilizes space resources in a prudent manner, takes effective measures to protect the space environment to ensure a peaceful and clean outer space and guarantee that its space activities benefit the whole of mankind.
The white paper, issued by the State Council Information Office, said the Chinese government takes the space industry as an important part of the nation's overall development strategy.
In the next five years and beyond China will uphold the concepts of innovative, balanced, green, open and shared development, and promote the comprehensive development of space science, space technology and space applications, so as to contribute to both serving national development and improving the well-being of mankind, according to the white paper.
The white paper said the purposes of China's space activities are to explore outer space and enhance understanding of the earth and the cosmos; to promote human civilization and social progress; to meet the demands of economic, scientific and technological development, national security and social progress; and to protect China's national rights and interests, and build up its overall strength.
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