China plans to build moon station ‘within the next decade’

China plans to send a manned mission to the Moon and to build a research station there within the next decade, state media reported on Wednesday. Beijing is aiming to achieve space superpower status. It became the first nation to land a rover on the far side of the Moon in January and now plans to build a scientific research station on the Moon’s south pole within the next 10 years, China National Space Administration head Zhang Kejian said during a speech marking “Space Day,” according to Xinhua. The official confirmed that a fourth lunar probe, the Chang’e-5, will be launched by the end of the year. Beijing also plans to launch a Mars probe by 2020. China on Wednesday also announced its Long March-5B rocket will make its maiden flight in the first half of 2020, carrying the core parts of a planned space station, AFP said.