China's vision for deep space exploration begins with the moon and will move to the universe beyond to the Mars, Jupiter and wider solar system, according to the chief designer of China's lunar exploration project.
Wu Weiren, chief designer of China's Lunar Exploration Project and director of China's Deep Space Exploration Laboratory, introduced the long-term vision for the country's space program in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).
"We define the exploration of the moon and celestial bodies and space beyond it as deep space exploration. The moon is the starting point. The next focus is on the moon. Chang'e-7 will land on the south pole of the moon and search for water. Chang'e-8 will land at the south pole of the moon and will join Chang'e-7 to form the basic structure of the south pole station on the moon," said the chief designer.
Wu said China also plans to build an international lunar research station, which is a larger scale and longer-term ambition.
"Then we want to build a navigation, communication, and remote sensing constellation centered on the moon, which we are now studying," said Wu.
"Our next step is a manned lunar landing. China aims to achieve this around 2030. You see, the symbol of our lunar exploration project is a person's footprint," said the chief designer.
"Deep space exploration also includes collecting and returning asteroid samples, and collecting samples from large celestial bodies such as Mars, and the exploration of Jupiter system. Jupiter is the largest celestial body in the solar system except the sun, and is equivalent to the size of 1,300 Earths. Jupiter and its satellites are a big system," he said.
Wu said missions in the future will be able to send 50 tons of payload per launch to the moon.
"To realize this deep space exploration, we need rockets and launch vehicles with greater thrust. So we came up with this concept of deep space exploration. The deep space exploration laboratory is responsible for the launch vehicle with greater thrust, to study the rocket with greatest thrust in the country. Now we can send eight tons of payload to the moon, in the future we'll be able to send 50 tons of payload to the moon per launch," said Wu.
China plans more exploration of moon, Mars, Jupiter, wider solar system: chief designer
The rising popularity of Guochao, also known as the trend of "China-chic", has contributed to a consumption boom and more diversified consumption scenarios ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
China-chic refers to fashion trends native to China, which incorporates unique native cultural elements into the latest trends.
For this year's Mid-Autumn Festival, the brand-new event "The Empress's Mid-Autumn Feast" at the Mingtang Tiantang Scenic Area in the National Archaeological Site Park of Sui-Tang Luoyang City in central China's Henan Province has attracted many visitors.
Through interactive experiences such as the performance of court music and dance, and the Empress Wu Zetian bestowing incense, it recreated the Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) palace, allowing visitors to fully immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of the holiday.
The "Hanfu craze" in Luoyang City has led to an increase in the number of tourists visiting scenic spots and has extended the overall economic chain. This trend has boosted the popularity of services such as Hanfu rental, makeup and styling, and professional photography, making them widely popular.
In Luoyang's Luanchuan County, activities such as the "Fairy Palace Moon Viewing Party" at the peak of the Laojun Mountain, which stands over 2,000 meters above sea level, have driven a surge in business for the Hanfu stores at the mountain's summit, leading to a peak in consumer activity.
"This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is witnessing an increase of over 50 percent in Hanfu rentals and sales, as well as travel photography services, compared with the same period last year. With such beautiful scenery as a backdrop, the demand for traditional China-chic consumption remains strong," said Jin Ge, owner of a Hanfu store atop the Laojun Mountain.
Driven by the rise of China-chic, creative cultural products are continuously updated with new offerings.
At a glazed glass workshop in Zibo City, east China's Shandong, skilled workers were busy crafting creative glassworks featuring lively jade rabbits, a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
As soon as the products hit the market, they quickly became popular both online and offline.
"While inheriting tradition, we've been exploring something new, developing creative products that better meet current market demands, thus winning the favor of a wide range of consumers," said Liu Jianhua, deputy general manager of Xiye Workshop.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a cherished occasion for family reunions in China. It falls on September 17 this year.
China-chic boom fuels consumption for Mid-Autumn Festival
