[AN] Projet en Chine

A national space theme park will be built in Shanghai's Minhang District before 2010, Shanghai officials said yesterday.

    The theme park will be China's answer to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, minus the launch pad.

    Pujiang Town will be the site of the park, which will include a space museum and a resort, the officials said.

    "Visitors to the park will be able to experience various exciting astronaut training facilities," said Zeng Fanlong, an official of the Shanghai Bureau of Astronautics.

    Zeng added the interactive features will include a multi-axis trainer and a low gravity simulator so that visitors can experience what it feels like to be in space.

    He said the project has been endorsed by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and Shanghai's government.

    According to the blueprint, it will cover 100 hectares and cost a total of 2.2 billion yuan (US$272 million).

    Although the detailed plan of the park has not been released, it will be far more "exciting and interesting" than the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, which incorporates a space experience and exhibition hall, bureau officials said.

    "Visitors can also see one of the Shenzhou vessels that was used in China's manned space missions and models of other spacecraft and satellites," Zeng said.

    Bian Qingfang, an official of the Minhang District government, said many exhibits - including rockets and models of China's spaceships - at the existing Space Exhibition on Caoxi Road N. will be relocated to the new park once it is completed.

   Source: Shanghai Daily