China reaching for new 'space odyssey'

In the near future, in outer space, Chinese scientists and their international colleagues, perhaps in the company of robots, will seek knowledge in laboratories on China's future space station.

Aboard the space station, deep in space, researchers will probe the profound mysteries of the universe, while explorers penetrate the darkness beyond both the moon and Mars.

This is no sci-fi movie, but a vision of the future presented to the National People's Congress and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference during the two sessions. The vision is of a "space odyssey" for China's future and for space exploration.