• Forum
• SITREP
• Military
• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security

• Space

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Public Eye

Further Reading

China Space - Astronomy

China’s First Space Telescope

The PRC China since the year 2,000 has had under development a new space telescope designed to observe high-energy astronomical bodies and high energy radiation phenomena as well as “black holes” and neutron stars in deep space. Though originally planned for launch in 2010 its launch has been delayed due to project financing short falls. This is the second five year plan (2000-2005 & 2006-2010) it has been under and it will not be launched until the third five year plan (2011-2015) of the program as it is presently planned.

It is assumed that the development of the prototype Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) and it key technical hurdles that had to be resolved for the project to move forward was the major factor eating up the space telescope satellites program funding. Li Tipei the Chief Scientist of the project for the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) stated July 23, 2009 that “So far, the ground prototype of the HXMT is completed, with all the key technical difficulties being overcome.” This certainly indicates that the approximately 1 metric ton space telescope plus its spacecraft bus combination is still not built for its 500 kilometer circular orbital launch. It is assumed to be waiting on the next Five Year Plan’s funding starting on January 1, 2011 to complete preparation and testing of the final satellite design and its ultimate launch in 2012. Li Tipei did indicate the primary issue holding back HXMT Space Telescope program progress was the financing without providing details.

In excess of 1 billion yuan ($146.4 million) for the two five year plans 2001-2010 two budgets will no doubt exceed its original projected total budget but is it considered a high priority Astrophysics Science & Technology project for the State. It has been designed to combine three or four single telescopes into one with none optical individual hard X-ray detectors under the leadership of CAS, with the Ministry of Science and Tsinghua University, school of engineering.