China sets ambitious space science development goals through 2050

China sets ambitious space science development goals through 2050
by Simon Mansfield
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Oct 16, 2024

China has launched its first medium- and long-term space science development plan, outlining a comprehensive roadmap through 2050 aimed at establishing the country as a leading space science power.

The development plan was introduced on Tuesday at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office and jointly released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China National Space Administration, and China Manned Space Agency. The initiative seeks to achieve "landmark original results with significant international impact" as China aims to become a major force in global space science.

The strategy is structured into three phases, starting with targets to be reached by 2027. In this initial phase, China intends to secure world-class outcomes in fields where it already possesses strengths, such as high-energy time-domain astronomy, planetary sciences concerning the Moon and Mars, and microgravity research. The next three years will also focus on exploring leading-edge topics including dark matter, gravitational waves, exoplanets, and solar phenomena, with plans to launch five to eight missions in these areas, and two to three key projects anticipated to produce significant findings.

In the subsequent phase, spanning from 2028 to 2035, China aims to conduct approximately 15 space science missions in advanced research areas. These include probing the early universe, studying nearby potentially habitable exoplanets, investigating the formation of the solar system, and searching for signs of extraterrestrial life.

The final stage of the plan, covering the period from 2036 to 2050, sets even more ambitious goals, aiming for China to attain international leadership in critical space science domains. The country seeks to make groundbreaking discoveries in fundamental research, focusing on topics such as the origins and development of the universe, the nature of space-time, the beginnings of the solar system and life, and the pursuit of crewed deep-space exploration. Achievements in these areas are intended to push the frontiers of scientific knowledge and contribute to global civilization.

Over the next 15 years, China will also focus on guiding the international space science agenda, proposing more than 30 major missions and positioning itself as a leader in the emerging wave of scientific and technological advancements.