Imported parts, lack of backup probe seen as problems for lunar programme
China's lunar satellite passed another milestone yesterday, setting a record for mainland spacecraft by moving into an orbit 71,000km above the Earth.
Named after a goddess who broke earthly bonds by flying to the moon, the Chang'e I project represents some important breakthroughs in mainland space technology, sparking interest and concern in other space-faring countries.
But the launch has also exposed certain weaknesses - some of which are coming to light publicly for the first time - in the rapid expansion of China's space programme.
Teng Jianqun , a mainland space security expert and director of the Research Department of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said some overseas space intelligence agencies were closely monitoring the probe's movements.
'They are not interested in the launch, at least not as much as the public. What interests them is how the satellite changes direction in space and manoeuvres from one orbit to another,' Mr Teng said yesterday while in Britain for a multinational meeting on space affairs. He said some civilian space technology was dual-use and so could also be applied for military purposes.
'They may suspect the manoeuvring technology [of Chang'e I] can also be applied to intercontinental ballistic missiles, or other space-related weapons that need to be delicately guided and controlled in space,' Mr Teng said.
