China is making preliminary preparations for a manned lunar landing mission, said Yang Liwei, deputy director general of China Manned Space Agency, on Tuesday.
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Yang Liwei, China’s first astronaut and deputy director of China’s manned space program office, makes a speech during the 2017 Global Space Exploration Conference in Beijing, capital of China, June 6, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] |
It will not take long for the project to get official approval and funding, Yang said during a group interview at the Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2017).
When asked whether he has any plan to step onto the Moon, Yang, China’s first astronaut, showed great excitement. “If I am given the opportunity, no problem!” he said.
Wu Yansheng, president of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), also said that China is working on a manned lunar landing plan.
The mission will consist of a manned spaceship, a propulsion vehicle and a lunar lander. The manned spaceship and the lunar lander will be sent into circumlunar orbit separately, according to Wu.
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