China to launch lunar mission in November

China will launch its maiden mission to moon in November, a third major event in the Chinese space programme after the launch of a satellite and amanned space mission.

"The lunar orbiter is being transported to the launch site and we are looking at a launch some time in November," China National Space Agency Administrator Sun Laiyan told PTI on the sidelines of the 58th International Astronautical Congress in Hyderabad.

China's lunar exploration programme was divided into three phases. Launch of the lunar orbiter 'Chang'e I' is the first phase of country's moon exploration programme, and the second phase will involve the launching of a moon rover, while the third phase will involve landing a rover on moon and getting it back to earth with lunar soil and stone samples, he said.

However, China had no immediate plans to send a man on the moon. "I believe this objective will be achieved in the future," he said.

Asked about cooperation in space agencies, Sun said, "We have studied the lunar mission objectives of various nations and there were similarities with the Chinese mission."

However, they did not rule out cooperation in future missions and said that a possibility of a joint mission was "still at very initial stage."

Addressing a plenary session in Hyderabad on Monday evening, Sun said China was looking forward to international cooperation in using space-based systems for effective disaster management.

Meanwhile, China has announced stepping up of its space programme and building its fourth satellite launch centre in Hainan Province. The new site will be used for launching geosynchronous satellites, heavy satellites, large space stations and deep space probes.