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Friday, September 18, 2020, 20:24
China plans to launch Taiji-2 satellite before 2024
By Xinhua
Friday, September 18, 2020, 20:24 By Xinhua

The Taiji-1 satellite is a recently-launched Chinese satellite that was sent into orbit on Aug. 31, 2019 to conduct in-orbit experiments on the key technologies related to space-based gravitational wave detection. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

FUZHOU - China plans to launch Taiji-2, a satellite to conduct in-orbit experiments on key technologies related to space-based gravitational wave detection, before 2024, Wu Yueliang, chief scientist of the Taiji program, said on Friday.

CAS set out a three-step strategy to implement the Taiji program. It took a research team about one year to develop Taiji-1. Two satellites are expected to be launched in the second step, and three more in the third step

Taiji-1, China's first satellite in the program, was launched in August 2019 and has been performing well in orbit, said Wu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), at the ongoing 2020 China Space Conference held in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian province.

"Taiji-1 has taken the fundamental step in China's gravitational wave detection. Its experimental results have verified the correctness and the feasibility of the whole Taiji program," Wu added.

READ MORE: China's Taiji-1 satellite successfully passes in-orbit tests

CAS set out a three-step strategy to implement the Taiji program. It took a research team about one year to develop Taiji-1. Two satellites are expected to be launched in the second step, and three more in the third step.

Spacecraft flights by 2045

Bao Weimin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said on Friday said that he envisions China will be able to operate regular spacecraft flights by 2045.

ALSO READ: China plans more space science satellites

The regular flights will include one-hour routes between global destinations, transportation between ground and orbit, and routes between orbits, said Bao at the ongoing 2020 China Space Conference.

By 2045, China is expected to operate over 1,000 spacecraft flights per year, transporting a total of 10,000 tonnes of freight and 10,000 passengers, said Bao.

By that time, the overall performance of China's spacecraft flight industry will have reached a world-class level, he added.

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