The National Medium and Long-term Space Science Development Plan (2024-2050) was released

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The National Medium and Long-term Space Science Development Plan (2024-2050) was released

On October 15, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the China National Space Administration, and the China Manned Space Engineering Office jointly released the mainland's first national space science plan, the National Space Science Medium and Long-Term Development Plan (2024-2050), which elaborated on the basic principles and development goals of the mainland's space science development and the roadmap for the development of the continent's space science by 2050.

The full text is below. National Medium- and Long-term Development Plan for Space Science (2024-2050)

Chinese Academy of Sciences, China National Space Administration, China Manned Space Engineering Office

Joint release

October 2024

In order to implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the 2nd and 3rd Plenary Sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and to promote the comprehensive development of space science, space technology, and space applications, this plan is formulated as a basis for guiding the deployment of space science missions and the development of space science research on the mainland at present and in the future.

1. Development goals

(1) Overall goal

Echelon layout and demonstration of the implementation of national space science tasks, overall planning and strengthening of mission-driven basic research, building a team of high-level space science talents, and constantly achieving landmark original achievements with significant international influence, achieving high-quality development of space science, driving breakthroughs in space technology innovation, promoting the upgrading of space applications, ranking among the forefront of the world, and becoming a space science power.

(2) Phased goals

Until 2027

-- The level of scientific research has been improved as a whole, and world-class results have been continuously achieved in disciplines with basic and advantageous advantages, such as high-energy time-domain astronomy, solar-terrestrial connection, the genesis and evolution of the Moon and Mars, microgravity physics, and space life.

-- Demonstrate the implementation of a number of space science missions, and demonstrate and approve 5~8 space science missions in the scientific frontiers of dark matter and extreme universe, gravitational waves, protostellar clouds, exoplanets, solar activity, solar system and earth system exploration, including 2~3 large-scale missions that are expected to produce landmark and major achievements.

-- Important progress has been made in building a new pattern of aerospace development, creating a number of "leaders" and "pioneers" in the field of space science, raising the construction of a talent team to a new level, and continuously enhancing its international status and influence.

2028-2035

-- The key directions are among the top in the world, and clusters of major original achievements have emerged in the fields of medium and low frequency gravitational waves, the dark age of the universe, the discovery of habitable terrestrial planets, solar activity, the response of the earth system, the utilization of in-situ resources of the Moon, the indication of life on Mars, black holes and neutron stars, and dark matter and dark energy, which have become important symbols of the mainland ranking among the forefront of innovative countries.

-- Deploy and implement a series of space science missions, and demonstrate and implement about 15 space science missions, including 4~5 large-scale missions, in the early universe, new physics of extreme celestial bodies, nearby habitable exoplanets, early archaeology of the solar system, the search for extraterrestrial life, solar eruptions and coronal heating mechanisms, and marginal exploration of the solar system.

-- Achieving all-round development in space science, space technology, and space applications on the mainland, forming a comparative advantage in the field of space science in terms of competitive talent, and ranking among the top in the world in terms of national strategic talent strength and leading talent.

2036-2050

-- China has become a world leader in space science in important fields. Revolutionary basic research breakthroughs have been made in the fields of the origin and evolution of the universe, the nature of time and space, the origin of the solar system and life, and manned deep space exploration, expanding the boundaries of human knowledge and promoting the progress of human civilization.

-- Leading the development direction of the world's space science, demonstrating and implementing more than 30 space science tasks, and possessing core competitiveness and strong leadership in the new round of scientific and technological revolution.

-- Gathering a team of top international scientific talents, building a major space science center and innovation highland in the world, and becoming an important symbol of a modern socialist country.

Second, the priority development direction

Facing the frontiers of world space science and the major strategic needs of the country, based on the advantages and characteristics of the mainland's existing disciplines, talent teams and engineering technology, the five major scientific themes and their priority development directions that are expected to make breakthroughs in the mainland have been condensed and formed.

"Extreme Universe" theme. Explore the origin and evolution of the universe and reveal the laws of physics under extreme cosmic conditions. Priority development directions include dark matter and the extreme universe, the origin and evolution of the universe, and the detection of cosmic baryonic matter. The major scientific problems to be solved include the nature of dark matter particles and the source of high-energy radiation in the universe, the nature of dark energy, the physical mechanism of dynamic cosmic detection and transient sources, the history of cosmic dark ages and reionization, the origin and evolution of star and planetary systems, and the cycle and feedback of baryonic matter.

The "Ripples of Time and Space" theme. Detect medium and low frequency gravitational waves and primordial gravitational waves, revealing the nature of gravity and space-time. The priority development direction is space gravitational wave detection. The major scientific problems to be solved include the formation of supermassive black holes and seed black holes and their co-evolution with host galaxies, the fine structure of the strong gravitational field near the black hole and the distribution and physical properties of compact objects, and the testing of early cosmological models.

The "Sun-Earth Panorama" theme. Explore the Earth, the Sun, and the heliosphere, and reveal the physical processes and laws of the complex system of the Sun and the Earth, and the overall connection between the Sun and the Solar System. Priority development directions include the Earth's circulatory system, integrated observation of the Earth and the Moon, space weather exploration, three-dimensional exploration of the sun, and exploration of the outer heliosphere. The major scientific problems to be solved include the characteristics of solar magnetic activity and the origin mechanism of the magnetic cycle, the three-dimensional propagation and evolution of solar wind disturbances, the mechanism of cross-scale energy transfer and dissipation between the solar wind and the magnetosphere, the coupling of the magnetosphere, the multi-sphere interaction of the earth system, and the process and mechanism of the interaction between the solar wind and the interstellar medium.

"Habitable Planets" theme. Explore the habitability of solar system bodies and exoplanets, and explore extraterrestrial life. Priority development areas include sustainable development, solar system archaeology, planetary spheric mapping, extraterrestrial life exploration, and exoplanet exploration. The major scientific problems to be solved include the deep lunar material, sphere structure and early impact history, the origin and evolution of asteroids/comets, the evolution of the habitable environment and life signals of Mars, the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere of Jupiter, the detection of habitable environment and life signals of ice satellites and ice giants, and the habitability and life characteristics of exoplanets.

The "Space Grid" theme. Reveal the laws of material movement and life activities under space conditions, and deepen the understanding of basic physics such as quantum mechanics and general relativity. Priority development areas include microgravity science, quantum mechanics and general relativity, and space life sciences. The major scientific problems to be solved include the basic theory of complex fluid physics under the new system of microgravity multi-process coupling, the quantum effect in the gravitational field, the high-precision test of general relativity and the exploration of new physics, and the adaptability and survival strategy of the space environment of life on Earth.

3. Development roadmap

Focusing on the five major scientific themes, focusing on the priority development directions, the scientific mission plan for implementation in three stages until 2027, 2028-2035 and 2036-2050 is proposed, and a roadmap for the development of continental space science by 2050 is formed.

In the first stage, by 2027, the Chinese space station will be operated, and the manned lunar exploration, the fourth phase of the lunar exploration project and the planetary exploration project will be implemented, and a number of original achievements with important international influence will be formed.

2~3 large-scale missions were selected from the mission directions of multi-band cooperative observation such as space X-ray, X-ray thermal baryon detection, space gravitational wave detection pathfinder, and solar polar orbit detection. 3~5 small and opportunistic missions were selected from the mission directions of dark matter particle detection, space terahertz high-speed imaging survey, space ultra-long wave observation, space infrared observation, hidden natural object detection, transparent ocean constellation, all-weather three-dimensional wind observation, earth radiation energy budget detection, geosphere cross-scale constellation, solar and terrestrial L5 point solar exploration, space-based solar radio array observation, fine observation of human activity traces, spatiotemporal pattern of global vegetation biomass, Jupiter system observation, exoplanet exploration, etc.

In the second stage, from 2028 to 2035, original achievements will be achieved through the implementation of the first phase of tasks, which are among the top in the world. Operate China's space station, demonstrate the implementation of manned lunar exploration, lunar scientific research station, marginal exploration of the solar system, exploration of giant planet systems, and atmospheric sample return of Venus.

4~5 large-scale tasks were selected from the mission directions such as space high-precision infrared observation, comprehensive observation of the gravitational force of celestial bodies on earthquake-induced effects, circumsolar detection, space high energy, X-ray detection, space gravitational wave detection, etc., as well as large-scale mission directions that have not been approved in the planning stage until 2027. 10~11 small and opportunistic missions were selected from the mission directions such as ultraviolet astronomical observation, ocean energy level constellation, cross-circle coupling process observation of critical belts, boundary layer thermodynamic structure and chemical composition observation, global high-precision geomagnetic field constellation, in-situ stress observation, earth radiation zone detection, space weather source exploration, formation solar high-energy exploration, quadrupole cooperative scientific observation, earth dynamic change observation, asteroid exploration, exoplanet satellite exploration, etc., as well as small and medium-sized mission directions that have not been approved in the planning stage until 2027.

In the third stage, from 2036 to 2050, the important fields of space science on the mainland will reach the world's leading level. Demonstrate the implementation of 5~6 large-scale tasks, as well as about 25 small, medium-sized and opportunistic tasks.

In order to achieve the development goals of this plan, it is necessary to further strengthen the organization and implementation, ensure financial investment, consolidate basic capabilities, deepen international cooperation, strengthen the popularization of science, continue to achieve key, original and leading major scientific and technological achievements, and strongly support the construction of a space power and a science and technology power.

First trial: Hou Lin review: Song Qifan

Final Judge: Jin Jun

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