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China National Space Administration facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) is like China's NASA! It's the main government agency in charge of China's exciting space program. Its job is to plan and develop all of China's activities in space, from sending astronauts to building rockets.

The CNSA's main office is located in Haidian District, a part of Beijing, China's capital city.

China's Astronauts (Taikonauts)

Main article: List of Chinese astronauts

In China, astronauts are often called Taikonauts. As of 2013, ten Chinese people had traveled into space. Here are some of them:

How CNSA is Organized

The CNSA has four main departments that help it manage all its space activities:

  • Department of General Planning: This group plans out all the big ideas and goals for China's space program.
  • Department of System Engineering: These are the engineers who design and build the rockets, spacecraft, and other systems.
  • Department of Science, Technology and Quality Control: This department focuses on new discoveries, making sure technology is top-notch, and that everything is built to the highest quality.
  • Department of Foreign Affairs: This team works with other countries on space projects and international cooperation.

The CNSA Logo Explained

CNSA logo 2
The official logo of the China National Space Administration.

The CNSA has a special logo that looks a bit like the logo for another Chinese space company, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Let's break down what the logo means:

  • The arrow in the middle looks like the Chinese character "人" (rén), which means 'human' or 'people'. This shows that humans are at the very heart of all space exploration.
  • The three circles (or ellipses) around the arrow represent different "escape velocities." An escape velocity is the minimum speed an object needs to break free from the gravity of a planet or star.
    • The first circle is the speed needed to stay in orbit around Earth.
    • The second circle is the speed needed to leave Earth's gravity and travel within our solar system.
    • The third circle is the speed needed to leave our solar system entirely!
  • The second circle is drawn with a thicker line. This means that China has already achieved the first stage (exploring around Earth) and is now working on the second stage (exploring within our solar system).
  • The "人" character (representing humans) stands above the three circles. This highlights humanity's amazing ability to travel and explore space.
  • Finally, you'll see Olive branches on the sides. These are a symbol of peace. They show that China's space exploration is for peaceful purposes.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Administración Espacial Nacional China para niños

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