China ramps up space missions

Science : China’s space program has set an ambitious schedule as it tries to be seen as an equal partner to NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). The schedule includes launching more than four missions over the next 13 months. Moreover, the country’s lunar exploration program hopes to launch a sample return mission next year, and its first-ever landing on the far side of the moon is planned for 2018. Beginning in 2020 China will launch four science missions and the nation’s first Mars probe. Unlike NASA or ESA, the Chinese space program doesn’t receive annual funding but instead gets one lump sum every five years. That arrangement doesn’t adjust for inflation or allow for last-minute plan changes. In addition, the country’s different space agencies are competing for scarce resources and missions. The solution, say Chinese space administrators is to merge agencies into one.