As Nasa's New Horizons reaches Pluto, Chinese space scientists complain of lack of funding and suppo

[JSCh]

The HXMT probe was expected to be launched in 2010 but the project suffered severe delay mainly due to the lacking of government funding, according to mainland Chinese media reports. The research of the project was still going on but there was no time table for the launch date.

According to Chinese media in Feb 2015, director of the National Space Science Center said that HXMT probe is scheduled to be launch later half of next year in 2016 in an interview.

The key word I think is sustainability. It is probably the thinking behind all those decisions.

attention-grabbing projects such as the construction of a new space station or further moon landings, both of which have been approved by Beijing.

These are not vanity project like the article suggest. They are all mini steps in capability building aim for future goal.

Admittedly there are less science project, but China is still behind technologically. You have to learn how to crawl before you can walk and run.