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China, Russia may co-operate in lunar probe
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-01 07:03 Russia and China may cooperate in a lunar
exploration program that would culminate with a manned moon mission within less
than two decades, the Interfax news agency quoted a Russian space official as
saying Monday.
China has asked Russia to help with an unmanned lunar
probe program, Interfax quoted Federal Space Agency deputy chief Yuri Nosenko as
saying in China ahead of a meeting between the two countries' prime ministers in
Beijing on Wednesday.
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Astronaut Nie Haisheng (R) talks to
journalists after he and Fei Junlong got out of the re-entry capsule
of the Shenzhou VI spacecaft at the main landing field in Central Inner
Mongolia Autonomous Region October 17, 2005. The two orbited the Earth for
five days in China's second manned space mission which ended up in a
complete success. [Xinhua]
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That Chinese program, which would only involve Russian assistance, could be
followed by a joint lunar study and exploration program possibly in 2012, when
Russia is planning to launch a research probe to the moon, Nosenko said,
according to the report.
After that, "We may undertake a joint project designed for 5-10 years" that
would end with a manned moon mission," Interfax quoted Nosenko as saying.
Nosenko also said that Russia has proposed that the two countries develop a
small satellite to orbit Mars.
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