Now that China's first manned space turned out to be a
brilliant success, China will proceed to set up a space lab and
then a space station, a senior officer told Xinhua
Thursday.
"The successful mission of Shenzhou V is the first step of
China's space program," said Zhang Qingwei, the second most senior
officer in charge of the country's space program.
The task to be performed immediately after Shenzhou V is to
develop technologies ensuring precise docking between spaceship and
orbit module, which are key to the planned setting up of China's
space labs, Zhang said.
After that, he said, Chinese experts will focus on developing
more efficient and reliable vehicles able to launch space
stations.
Zhang said that the station will prepare China for further
exploration of the outer space.
(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2003)
