IEEE Spectrum January, 2014 - 51

Photos, chronologically: stuart Dee/getty images; china aerosPace science anD technology corP.; aFP/getty images; Xinhua/aP Photo; chinaFotoPress/getty images(2); imaginechina/aP Photo; shanghai Jiao tong university

that use both GPS and
BeiDou. "We have entered
an era of multinavigation
system integration," said
Ran, "and compatibility and
interoperability have become
the major trends." By 2020,
the full fleet of 35 satellites
is expected to be in place,
providing global coverage.
Finally, China is turning
its attention to space science,
which has been largely
missing from its space
program thus far. In 2010
the Chinese government
established a special budget
to support five space science
satellites, according to
Wu Ji, director general of
space science at the Chinese
Academy of Sciences. The first
of these satellites, the Hard
X-ray Modulation Telescope,
will perform all-sky surveys
and in-depth observations
of X-ray sources like black
holes and neutron stars. It's
expected to launch in 2014
or 2015.
Short of an economic or
political collapse, experts
don't see much likelihood
that China will abandon its
slow, steady march to the
stars. Too many dreams
and ambitions are wrapped
up in it.
"The average age of the
Chinese space worker is 27,"
says Harvey. "These people
are at the beginning of their
professional careers. Just
imagine them in 20 years,
when they have experience
and have learned from their
mistakes. It's not a question
of what will they do; it's a
question of what will they
not do."
-Eliza Str ick l a nd

the
long march to space
In just over 50 years, China has built a space program
that can send humans into orbit and robots to the
moon-and the country is expected to pass some
more important milestones within a decade.

1958 China announces
its space program.

2003 In the first Chinese
human spaceflight
mission, astronaut
Yang Liwei orbits Earth
14 times in the Shenzhou
5 space capsule.

1984 China
launches its
first geostationary communications
satellite.

1970 China
launches its
first Earthorbiting
satellite, Dongfanghong 1.

2007 The Chang'e-1
moon probe reaches
lunar orbit.
2008 China becomes the
third nation to carry out an
extravehicular activity when
astronaut Zhai Zhigang
conducts a 20-minute
space walk in Earth orbit.

2010 The Chang'e-2 lunar
probe orbits the moon,
capturing high-definition
images of the lunar surface
in preparation for a future
lunar lander mission.

2012 The Shenzhou 9
space capsule brings three
astronauts, including China's
first female astronaut, to
the Tiangong-1 space lab,
where they spend 10 days.

2013
The Chang'e-3 lunar
lander and rover are
scheduled to reach
the moon's surface
in December.

2020 The BeiDou
Navigation Satellite
System is scheduled
to begin providing
global service using a
fleet of 35 satellites.

2014 The first
launch is expected at
China's new
spaceport,
in Hainan.

2011 China launches Tiangong-1, its
first orbital space
laboratory. The uncrewed space capsule Shenzhou 8
completes a rendezvous and docking maneuver.

2011 China's BeiDou
Navigation Satellite
System becomes
operational for
customers in China,
with 10 satellites in use.

2014-15 China's
first space
science satellites are expected to go
into operation.

2020 China's
first full
space station is scheduled for
completion.

SPectrUm.ieee.orG

2015
China's nextgeneration
heavy-lift
rocket, the
Long March 5,
is scheduled
to begin
launches.

2017 The Chang'e-5
sample-return mission is scheduled
to collect lunar soil
and rocks and bring
them back to Earth.

north american

jan 2014

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Spectrum January, 2014