China plans lunar landing

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- China, hailing its astronauts' successful spacewalk, has set its sights on a manned lunar landing when its current three-stage space program ends in 2020.

"When the three-phased strategy in our manned space program is completed, we will travel even further terrestrially," Wang Zhaoyao, deputy head of China's manned space program and spokesman for the spacewalk mission, told reporters after the latest mission ended Sunday with the return of the astronauts after their 20-minute spacewalk, China Daily reported.

"After comprehensively analyzing the general trend in international manned space developments, as well as Chinese realities, we see a manned lunar landing as both a very challenging and tactical field in global hi-tech," he said.

Wang did not give a specific date for a moon landing.

He noted Chinese scientists have said a moon landing is "very much needed" for research into relevant technologies and to further China's achievements in space.