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China looks to next steps in space
(CNN) -- Encouraged by the success of its first manned space mission, China says it looking to launch another Shenzhou spacecraft within "one or two years' time" and is pushing ahead with plans to develop a permanently manned presence in space. In comments reported just hours after the Shenzhou V's safe return to Earth, the official Xinhua news agency quoted a leading space official as saying China's next steps would be to work on launching a space laboratory and then a space station into orbit. "The successful mission of Shenzhou V is the first step of China's space program," the agency quoted Zhang Qingwei as saying. Although Zhang gave few details and no specific timescale for the plans, the announcement is the clearest official statement to date concerning China's plans for space exploration. Speaking later at a Beijing news conference, Xie Mingbao, director of the manned space office, said he expected to launch another Shenzhou capsule before the end of 2005. "In one or two years' time, I think Shenzhou VI will be launched," Xie said in response to a reporter's question. Zhang, the second most senior officer in charge of the country's space program, said the next major tasks to tackle would be to perfect orbital docking technologies and procedures. Precise docking between spacecraft and orbiting modules is essential to placing a space lab in orbit, Xinhua quoted Zhang as saying. He did not say whether the proposed space lab would be manned or conduct experiments using automated equipment. FootholdAccording to some reports, China has already purchased a Russian docking system and engineered it to fit the Shenzhou's orbital module -- the part of the spacecraft that remains in orbit after the capsule has returned to Earth. After the space lab phase of the program is complete, Zhang said scientists would focus on developing more efficient and reliable space vehicles in order to launch a space station into orbit. He said the space station would give China a foothold for the further exploration of outer space, Xinhua reported. Beijing has not been involved in the in the U.S. and Russian-led International Space Station (ISS), although there has been speculation that China may be invited to join in the near future. Although earlier reports in Chinese media have speculated on the future course of the space program, Zhang's comments are the clearest indication yet that such plans have high level official support. Aside from the space station, Chinese scientists are also reported to be working on plans to send unmanned probes to the moon with a view to eventually landing a Chinese astronaut on the lunar surface.
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