Manufacturing

BEIJING -- China plans to complete its independent global satellite navigation system by launching about 30 more orbiters before 2015, a space technology official said Sunday.

China plans to send 10 navigation satellites into the space in 2009 and 2010, said Zhang Xiaojin, director of astronautics department with China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) told China Central Television (CCTV).

The plan is to establish a global navigation system consisting of more than 30 satellites by the year of 2015. The system will shake off the dependence on foreign systems, Zhang said.

US's GPS has been widely used for commercial navigation in vehicles, cell phones and other civilian devices in China. Chinese civilian and military users could be guided by their own satellites worldwide after the Beidou becomes the world's fourth edition of global navigation systems.

China launched the first satellite, Beidou Navigation System, into geostationary orbit in October 2000, in an effort to build up its own positioning system independent from the US's Global Positioning System (GPS), E.U.'s Galileo Positioning System and Russia's Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).

China has sent five positioning orbiters into the space. The current Beidou system only provides regional navigation service within China's territory.

Since Beidou's fifth orbiter launched in April 2007, China has started to upgrade the navigation system to the second generation, code named COMPASS.

Inspired by traditional art, the next generation of bus platform has  Chinese elements in its design.

With ultra-width door, the new generation bus platform provides more possibilities and convenience to passengers.

Views from different angles

The concept bus named NTF might be the powerful tools for city transport which requires clean power and efficiency. This design inherits the traditional Chinese Lang style. As a public platform it enables internal comunication for passengers.

The calligraphy element enriches the power of design. Passengers can enjoy the view outside through bus windows. The most outstanding character is the bus is powered by Hydrogen and electricity.

It will come into the market in the near future.

 These photos was uploaded on a local website by a netizen. This alien tractor lost a right rear wheel. The owner of it plugged a log and drove it on road, left long trail behind.

At the end of 2005, Jinzhou Group and Dongfeng Group came into contact. both groups gave their confidence to global airplane market and set up a light-weight airplane institution, hired senior specialist in aviation. They worked out a sample airplane before June 2008, according to western standards.

It's a two seat sport airplane. Its body was made from new composite materials, Wingspan 10.5m; Length 7m; Load capacity 500Kg; weight 280Kg.In the end, the cost of production was cut by 50%.

Lin shengjian, vice president of Jinzhou Group, who is in charge of the manufacture of light weight airplane said yesterday, the sample plane have been sent to US for test, it will be exported as long as get AC Airworthiness Certificate from US.

At present, US Changxin company have already signed a 3years contract. The plan production is 500 planes per year, and the market price will be 100 thousand dollars per plane.