China releases space plan to accomplish in 2020

China has released record-breaking space plan for 2020.

China is planning to send more than 60 spacecraft this year.

Authorities released the news that over 60 spacecraft will be sent 40 launches this year.

Shang Zhi, director of the Space department of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) said in a press conference, “This year will continue to see intensive launches,”

Shang reported that there will be three major missions to be sent into space as per the space plan. The mission includes the lunar exploration, BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System and Gaofen observation satellites.

In the first half of this year, two geostationary orbit BeiDou satellites will be lead into space.

In addition to this, China’s first Mars probe is also likely to be launched this year.

Apart from that, 5 lunar probes will also be sent and they will bring a few samples of the moon to earth.

Furthermore, three new types of carrier rockets will also be launched. These rockets include Long March-5B, Long March-7A, and Long March-8.

Peng Jing, deputy of Chief designer of the Chang’e-5 probe with China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) said, “Automatic lunar sample collection is the first part; takeoff from the moon is the second; Rendezvous and docking on lunar orbit and sample transfer is the third; high-speed re-entry into Earth’ atmosphere is the last part. The four parts have much more technical difficulties than the first and second phases of the lunar exploration,”

“We temporarily call the follow-up mission as the fourth phase of the lunar exploration program. The preliminary goal we set is to establish a lunar research base through two to three missions. In the foreseeable future, it will be an unmanned scientific research base for the long term, where people would make a short visit,”