China plans to explore solar system edge: lunar exploration chief designer

China plans to carry out exploration of the sun and hopes to send a probe to the edge of the solar system, China’s lunar exploration chief designer Wu Weiren said in a recent interview when talking about the country’s future plans for deepspace exploration.

Wu said that the planetary exploration project is now focused on Mars, and China plans to collect soil samples from the red planet and return in the next 10 to 15 years, according to a report of the Xinhua News Agency on Thursday. Wu also noted that China still plans to carry out interplanetary exploration of Jupiter and Uranus.

China will also develop “a heavy-lift launch vehicle with a takeoff thrust of about 4,000 tons” to send astronauts to the Moon and Mars, Wu said.

The country is making preparations for a planetary defense capability, and is preparing to carry out a planetary defense mission with an overall plan for detection, early warning, disposal and rescue efforts. The objective is to change the orbit of small celestial bodies that could pose a threat to Earth by launching an impactor, according to Wu. China plans to carry out asteroid sampling in the next 10 to 15 years, said Wu.

China has prepared the fourth stage of the lunar exploration program, including Chang’e-6, Chang’e-7, and Chang’e-8 missions. Chang’e-6 is expected to collect samples from the far side of the moon and bring them back. If successful, it will be the first time for humankind to complete the mission. Chang’e-6 is scheduled for launch in around 2025 in Wenchang, South China’s Hainan Province. After the samples are returned to Earth, systematic and long-term laboratory studies will be carried out.

Chang’e-5 brought 1,731 grams of lunar soil from the near side of the moon in 2020, and we hope Chang’e-6 will bring more samples from the far side, with a goal of 2,000 grams. Chang’e-7 is scheduled to land on the south pole to conduct a flyover to search for water in the caves, Wu said.