China is to put a man on the moon. In an acceleration of its space programme, a new five year plan announced today says the country will build satellites, a space station and manned spacecraft, and put a man on the moon.
The plan could dramatically boost China’s high-tech industry. When President John Kennedy announced a man on the moon programme in the 60s, it had a dramatic effect on boosting the fledgling IC industry.
The five year plan says that China will "conduct studies on the preliminary plan for a human lunar landing". It is not expected to occur until after 2020 – the same year it expects to complete its space station.
By 2016, the plan calls for the launching of a space lab, manned spaceships and the collection of samples of material from the moon.
Earlier this week China announced the tenth in its 35 satellite constellation for global positioning.