China has set a target of completing a space mission of “100 rockets, 100 satellites” between 2011 and 2015, according to a space official.
According to Zhang Jianheng, deputy general manager of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), on an average China will complete about 20 launch missions each year before 2015, Xinhua reported Saturday.
“The densely arranged launch missions and flight tests have posed an unprecedented challenge to the country’s space programme,” said Zhang.
Zhang said China launched 19 satellites, a target orbiter Tiangong-1 and Shenzhou-8 spacecraft with 19 Long March rockets last year, a record high for China’s space programme in launch numbers.
China has surpassed the US, which completed 18 launches in 2011, to become the world’s No.2 in terms of launch numbers following Russia’s 36 launches, he official said, adding in 2012, China has planned 30 satellite launches with 21 rockets.