China moon programme looks to private funding
Friday, 9 November 2007
BEIJING, Nov 8 (Reuters): China, the third country to put a man into space aboard its own rocket, will open part of the second stage of its moon mission projects to private funding, a newspaper said today.
As part of an ambitious space programme, China's first lunar probe reached its working orbit Wednesday and the country plans to put a man on the moon within 15 years.
Li Guoping, a spokesman for the China National Space Administration, told the Shanghai Daily funding could come from "scientific research organs, universities and also private companies".
"With the expansion of China's space exploration, we'd like to encourage private enterprise to join space technology development and attract public funds for aerospace-related research, manufacture and trade," Li said.
As part of an ambitious space programme, China's first lunar probe reached its working orbit Wednesday and the country plans to put a man on the moon within 15 years.
Li Guoping, a spokesman for the China National Space Administration, told the Shanghai Daily funding could come from "scientific research organs, universities and also private companies".
"With the expansion of China's space exploration, we'd like to encourage private enterprise to join space technology development and attract public funds for aerospace-related research, manufacture and trade," Li said.