0:00:00 > 0:00:01of the annual Asian economic forum being held in Vietnam.
0:00:01 > 0:00:04In around 10 minutes it's time for Newswatch.
0:00:04 > 0:00:09First, though, here's Click
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Welcome to China, to Shenzhen.
0:00:34 > 0:00:42Believe it or not, this place was once a small fishing village.
0:00:42 > 0:00:43Yeah...
0:00:43 > 0:00:43Not anymore.
0:00:43 > 0:00:48Now, it's a mega-city of nearly 20 million people.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50It's most famous for creating consumer electronics,
0:00:50 > 0:00:51often imitations of premium brands.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55But as China has opened its doors to international trade in the last
0:00:55 > 0:00:57decade, it has undergone a transformation, making strides
0:00:57 > 0:01:00toward becoming a global power and moving away from that image
0:01:00 > 0:01:02of being a simple manufacturer of good, fake or otherwise,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05to one of innovation, especially of tech.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07"Made in China" is fast becoming "Designed in China."
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Next week, we'll visit some of the companies that call Shenzhen
0:01:10 > 0:01:13home, but this week, we are meeting this guy.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16This is Little Cloud, and recently, he's gone where no turtle
0:01:16 > 0:01:34has gone before.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37He's just completed a test flight of a journey that one day might take
0:01:37 > 0:01:53humans to near space.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54This is Kuang-Chi's Traveller Project.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59We have seen this kind of stratospheric helium project before.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01We visited WorldView in the US back in February
0:02:01 > 0:02:03to see their enormous inflatable.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07I think you have the world's biggest table.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And a Spanish outfit, Zero to Infinity, is also
0:02:10 > 0:02:10trying something similar.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13So why does the Traveller Project's director feel he can beat
0:02:13 > 0:02:19them to it.
0:02:19 > 0:02:20We want to be the first one.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23We need to try hard to become the first one.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25Because, in Shenzhen, the environment is very good,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and a lot of people want to do big things.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29And the government supports us.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32So, I think that Shenzhen gives us a very good environment
0:02:33 > 0:02:52to accelerate the progress.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54The secret, though, is also in the science.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Now, the balloon material looks quite ordinary,
0:02:56 > 0:03:06but of course, it's not.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10It is a special kind of polyethylene which has to resist the low,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12low temperatures of the stratosphere, damaging effects
0:03:12 > 0:03:19of ultraviolet and ozone.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22And tt also needs to be able to stop the really,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24really tiny molecules of helium from escaping.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27This kind of space tourism is billed as being cheaper and safer
0:03:27 > 0:03:29than rocket-based alternatives being trialled by Virgin Galactic
0:03:30 > 0:03:30and SpaceX.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Normal people, even older ones, can do this.
0:03:32 > 0:03:34You don't need a strong body.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37You must be very strong to be an astronaut and train for many
0:03:37 > 0:03:38days and years.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42However, this does not need that.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Why did you choose a turtle.
0:03:44 > 0:03:45Ah, that's a good question.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Because the turtle has a long life.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Sometimes it can be living for more than 100 years!
0:03:50 > 0:03:53The turtle can live in water, it can survive in an low-oxygen
0:03:53 > 0:03:58environment.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Is it cruel to send a turtle up there?
0:04:00 > 0:04:01Hmm...
0:04:01 > 0:04:02What can I say?
0:04:02 > 0:04:06I just say we need to do this kind of experiment before human beings
0:04:06 > 0:04:07in the near space.
0:04:07 > 0:04:14We need to pick up a kind of animal.
0:04:14 > 0:04:31Hmm...
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Well, as usual, not a great life being an animal involved
0:04:34 > 0:04:39in human exploration.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42While these guys are busy trying to win a race to space,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45others are trying to put a rover on the moon.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47And, fortunately, this time, it's not a real dog.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Now, you may remember earlier in the year we visited the Indian
0:04:51 > 0:04:57space start-up, Indus, in their Bangalore warehouse.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00They are one of five teams competing for a $20 million prize
0:05:00 > 0:05:04if they are the first company to land and drive a robot
0:05:04 > 0:05:17on the moon.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And one thing we learned while we were there was that
0:05:20 > 0:05:22to save costs, they're sharing their rocket space
0:05:22 > 0:05:37with a Japanese competitor, iSpace.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Well, now we're paying them a visit to find out how they think they're
0:05:41 > 0:06:02going to win.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03This is the space suit.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06And this is a hammer to break something.
0:06:06 > 0:06:06OK.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Well, with the important stuff out of the way,
0:06:08 > 0:06:09time to talk space.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11What inspired you to enter this challenge?
0:06:11 > 0:06:18I have always been interested in space.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21I worked for a firm that one weekend asked me,
0:06:21 > 0:06:33why don't you help in the lunar race?
0:06:33 > 0:06:36It may be a small operation, but what they lack in size
0:06:37 > 0:06:38they certainly make up for in style.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42It is not just the skyhigh rents of Tokyo responsible
0:06:42 > 0:06:45for the diminished dimensions of the office, it is also
0:06:45 > 0:06:48because their plan to hitch a ride on the Team Indus lander means
0:06:49 > 0:06:52iSpace only have to build the rover, ideally one that is faster than Team
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Indus.
0:06:55 > 0:07:03Just put in a little bit of a weapon on the side to bump them into a
0:07:03 > 0:07:12hole. They are not prepared to cheat but it definitely looks like a smart
0:07:12 > 0:07:13ride.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15A depth camera is being designed to recognise unexpected rocks
0:07:15 > 0:07:17and stop before it collides with anything.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20And because of a communications delay of just over a second,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24it will be steered and moved one step at a time to give everyone time
0:07:24 > 0:07:27to think as it gradually moves across the surface.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Mind you, you still need the very best pilots and technicians
0:07:30 > 0:07:32in the business to command and strive this thing.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34Looks like I'm going to scrape that rock.
0:07:34 > 0:07:35Seriously?
0:07:35 > 0:07:42Oh, man!
0:07:42 > 0:07:45This is just a demo unit for numpties like me to use,
0:07:45 > 0:07:47but the real prototype is being developed just
0:07:47 > 0:07:49across the office in the clean room..
0:07:49 > 0:07:53And the one they build next will be the one that actually goes
0:07:53 > 0:07:55to the moon, well, if nothing goes wrong,
0:07:55 > 0:07:58say, by letting me touch it.
0:07:58 > 0:07:59It is so light.
0:07:59 > 0:08:00Just four kilograms.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Remarkable.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06I am John Walker, the Chief Engineer.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09The worst thing that can happen is we go to the moon
0:08:09 > 0:08:11and for whatever reason we don't get any function.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15We are trying to win, but at the end of the day,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18we want to keep going back to the moon again and again.
0:08:18 > 0:08:20So we need that starting point, we need data.
0:08:20 > 0:08:25We need simulations.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28That is why a huge part of the mission's costs goes
0:08:28 > 0:08:31towards testing, and that means rigourous checks on the bespoke
0:08:31 > 0:08:33wheels, control systems, electronics, and perhaps most
0:08:33 > 0:08:35crucially of all, the communication system.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Of course, it is not just Team Indus and Hakuto in the competition,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41there is America's Moon Express, Israel's Space IL, and Synergy Moon,
0:08:41 > 0:08:44made up of six continents.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47They all have contracts, but when they take off
0:08:47 > 0:08:58is anyone's guess.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59It is very secretive.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02What happens if you find out they launch in November?
0:09:02 > 0:09:03It is possible.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06However, it is very difficult to launch without any notification
0:09:06 > 0:09:06beforehand.
0:09:06 > 0:09:07So, I'm still very...
0:09:07 > 0:09:31I am sometimes nervous when they will make an announcement.
0:09:31 > 0:09:31Yeah.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Just like the other teams, iSpace is about more than just one
0:09:35 > 0:09:44mission to the moon.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47They are hoping that the data they gather and the skills
0:09:47 > 0:09:49they learn could have much more profound complications
0:09:49 > 0:09:51after the mission whether they win or not.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54We recognise this race is just the start of everything
0:09:54 > 0:09:55in the future.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58And we think that the moon is the best place to mine resources
0:09:58 > 0:10:00and then supply resources such as fuel into space.
0:10:01 > 0:10:11This is the first step for this establishment.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13There is certainly a loss that could go wrong.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Besides the perils of space, they still need to waste a huge deal
0:10:17 > 0:10:20of cashier on Terra Firma before anything can take off.
0:10:20 > 0:10:27One thing is for sure, though.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30We are so excited about this race to the moon.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33But what has become apparent is it is not just about getting
0:10:33 > 0:10:39there first, it is not just about the prize money,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42it is just as important to get data back and build up this knowledge
0:10:42 > 0:10:47to be able to go there again and again and again in the future.
0:10:47 > 0:11:01And when these guys launch, we are going to bring that to you.
0:11:01 > 0:11:10That is it for this weak. There is more on line. Have you ever wanted
0:11:10 > 0:11:25to meet us in the flash? -- flesh. Me either. This is where you can go
0:11:25 > 0:11:32to the Click live show. You can see some of the things we have wrought
0:11:32 > 0:11:37to you on the show live on stage. -- brought. Thank you for watching. We
0:11:37 > 0:11:41will see you soon.