CGTN:

This year marks the 20th anniversary of China's lunar exploration program. Over the past 20 years, we have made remarkable achievements, from taking photos of the moon to the first landing on the far side of the moon and bringing back lunar samples. Looking ahead, what are China's plans for deep space exploration? What key projects will be prioritized in China's space program? Thank you.

Bian Zhigang:

In the future, China's deep space exploration will focus on two aspects: lunar exploration and planetary exploration. In terms of lunar exploration, following the complete success of the Chang'e-6 mission, we will proceed with the Chang'e-7 and Chang'e-8 missions. The Chang'e 7 mission is mainly to survey resources at the lunar south pole , while Chang'e 8 will conduct technical verification of the in-situ utilization of lunar resources . In the future, we plan to collaborate with international partners to build an International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) , promoting shared use and benefit from our lunar exploration results. In terms of planetary exploration, China has approved four missions to be accomplished within 10-15 years. Among them, the Tianwen -1 Mars mission, which was a complete success in 2021, marked China's advancement beyond lunar exploration. Our future missions will include asteroid exploration, a Mars sample return mission, and the exploration of other planetary systems. These missions aim to advance our understanding of the origin and evolution of the solar system, study the impact of small celestial bodies and solar activity on Earth, and search for signs of extraterrestrial life, among other scientific goals.

Around 2025 , Tianwen-2 will embark on its main mission of asteroid exploration. It will aim at a near-Earth asteroid for companion flight and sample retrieval. The Tianwen-3 Mars mission, set for around 2030, aims to return samples from Mars to Earth. Tianwen -4 is scheduled to explore the Jupiter system by around 2030. Currently, we are intensively working on the key technologies and the detailed implementation plans for both the Tianwen-3 and Tianwen-4 missions. Additionally, we are also deliberating major national science and technology projects, including heavy-lift launch vehicles and reusable space transport systems. In the future, we will also strengthen basic research, accelerate the R&D of key and core technologies, and promote the innovative development of space science, space technology, and space application .

I think we may have several more press conferences here over the next 10 years. Thank you.