China ramping up space program
China is planning on ramping up their space endeavors. They have already said eventual goals are to have a space station and put an astronaut on the moon. It has made methodical progress with its ambitious lunar and human spaceflight programs, but its latest five-year plan beginning next year signals an acceleration.
While the United States space program has almost ground to a halt recently, China plans to launch space labs and manned ships and prepare to build space stations over the next five years. China's space program has already made major breakthroughs in a relatively short time, although it lags far behind the United States and Russia in space technology and experience.
By the end of 2016, China will launch space laboratories, manned spaceship and ship freighters, and make technological preparations for the construction of space stations, according to the white paper setting out China's space progress and future missions. The Chinese government's policy is to "reinforce" space cooperation with developing countries and "value" space cooperation with developed countries.
The paper lists cooperation between China and countries including Russia, Brazil, France and Britain, and says of the United States: NASA's director visited China "and the two sides will continue to make dialogue regarding the space field."
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