China challenges U.S., Europe, Japan in scientific research: UNESCO
January 19, 2006China has led emerging Asian economies in the research and development field, challenging the leadership of North America, Europe and Japan, according to a report recently released by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. China had 810,000 researchers in 2002, compared with 646,500 in Japan in the same year, according to the UNESCO Science Report 2005. Expenditure on R&D in China rose to 1.23 percent of its gross domestic product in 2002 from 0.83 percent in 1999, the report said.
Postponed H-2A rocket launch to be reset for Sunday or later
January 19, 2006The launch of an H-2A rocket carrying a land-observation satellite that was postponed due to a technical glitch will be carried out Sunday or later, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said Thursday. The No. 8 version of the H-2A rocket carrying the Advanced Land Observing Satellite was originally scheduled to be launched Jan. 12 from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture.