China unveils ambitious 5-year space plan

BEIJING — The Chinese government Thursday announced a five-year plan for space exploration that would move China closer to becoming a major rival at a time the U.S. program is in retreat.

Coupled with China's earlier vows to build a space station and put an astronaut on the moon, the announcement conjured up memories of the Cold War-era space race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The United States, which has de-emphasized manned spaceflight in recent years, is dependent on Russia for transporting its astronauts to the international space station. Russia has experienced an embarrassing string of failed satellite launchings.

China has been looking for ways to exert its growing economic strength and demonstrate its technological mastery and scientific achievements can approach those of any global power.

The plan announced Thursday calls for launching a space lab and collecting samples from the moon, all by 2016, along with a more powerful manned spaceship and space freighters.

In recent years, China also has sought to build a military capacity in keeping with its economic might, building up its submarine fleet and, this year, testing its first aircraft carrier, a refurbished Soviet model. Under the plan, it would vastly expand its version of GPS, which would have military and civilian uses.

The plan shows how the government intends to draw on military and civilian resources to meet the goals, which the government is betting will benefit the Chinese economy.

In the white paper that laid out the plan, released by the State Council, China's Cabinet, the authors took pains to say the nation's space program was not seeking to challenge any nation militarily.

The plan indicates China will begin the work to land its astronauts on the moon, but it did not provide a target date for when they would go.

Analysts say one of the more notable goals of the five-year strategy is to further develop the Beidou Navigation Satellite System, which Tuesday began providing navigation, positioning and timing data on China and surrounding areas.

The white paper said China intended to have a global system by 2020, with 35 satellites in orbit. If it met that goal, China would join Russia in having a system that rivals America's. China has launched 10 satellites for the Beidou system and plans to launch six more next year.