Lunar mission is latest space ambition milestone

WENCHANG, CHINA » China’s latest trip to the moon is another milestone in the Asian powerhouse’s slow but steady ascent to the stars. China became the third country to put a person into orbit 17 years ago and the first to land on the far side of the moon in 2019. Future ambitions include a permanent space station and putting people back on the moon more than 50 years after the U.S. did. But even before the latest lunar mission lifted off, a top program official maintained that China isn’t competing with anyone. China has a national plan aimed at joining the United States, Europe and Japan in the top ranks of technology producers, and the space program has been amajor component of that. It also is a source of national pride to lift the reputation of the ruling Communist Party.