China Reveals Space Travel Plans

In a report entitled "Creation 2050: Science, Technology and China's Future", which provides a long-term strategy for China's scientific and technological development, the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) said that China could have space stations in low Earth orbit by 2020, set up a Moon base by 2030 and land a spacecraft on Mars by 2050.

The report, which was published on June 10, 2009, also said that space probes from China might reach Jupiter 2030 and travel beyond the outer edge of the solar system by 2050.

Creation 2050 also said that China would develop technology to make the navigation of spacecraft easier.

Other topics covered in the report include agriculture, energy, health and the use of mineral resources.

According to Guo Huadong, the head of CAS' strategy team, the report provides suggestions for decisionmakers, but is not an official plan.