Chinese space program facts for kids
The space program of the People's Republic of China is all about China's amazing activities in outer space. It started way back in the 1950s. Back then, with help from the Soviet Union, China began building its first rockets and missiles. This was a response to threats they felt from other powerful countries. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 in 1957 and the US launched Explorer 1 in 1958, China decided it wanted to launch its own satellite too. In April 1970, China launched its first satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1, on a Long March 1 rocket. This made China the fifth country to put a satellite into orbit!
Today, China has one of the busiest space programs in the world. It uses its powerful Long March rocket family and has four spaceports across the country. China launches many rockets each year, often the most or second most in the world. Its satellites help with communication, navigation, Earth observation, and scientific research. China's space missions now reach the Moon and Mars. It is also one of only three countries, along with the United States and Russia, that can send humans into space on its own.
Most of China's space activities are managed by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The military also helps, especially with the astronauts and the Chinese Deep Space Network. Some big projects include the China Manned Space Program (sending humans to space), the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (like GPS), the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (exploring the Moon), and missions to other planets. Recently, China has sent missions like Chang'e-3, Chang'e-4, Chang'e-5, Tianwen-1, and built the Tiangong space station.
Contents
- History of China's Space Journey
- How Did China's Space Program Begin?
- First Steps: Rockets and Satellites
- New Beginnings: Satellites and Human Spaceflight Plans
- Commercial Launches and Challenges in the 1990s
- Big Steps: Shenzhou and Chang'e in the 2000s
- Growth and New Technologies in the 2010s
- China's Space Achievements: 2020-Present
- China's Space Program and Other Countries
- How China's Space Program is Organized
- Key Space Programs
- Images for kids
History of China's Space Journey
How Did China's Space Program Begin?
China's space program started with missile research in the 1950s. The country wanted to build up its defense during the Cold War. In 1955, Qian Xuesen, a brilliant rocket scientist, returned to China from the United States. He suggested a plan for China's missile program, which was quickly approved. In October 1956, China's first missile research center was set up. This event is seen as the start of China's space journey.
China began by copying two Soviet missiles, which arrived in China in 1957. The Chinese version was called "1059." However, the Soviet Union suddenly stopped helping China in 1960. Chinese scientists had to continue on their own with very few resources. Despite this, China successfully launched its first "missile 1059" in December 1960. It was later renamed Dongfeng-1 (DF-1).
China also started building its first missile test site in the Gobi desert. This place later became the famous Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China's first spaceport.
First Steps: Rockets and Satellites
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After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, China's leader, Mao Zedong, decided in 1958 that China also needed its own satellites. This goal was called Project 581. The first rocket developed by Chinese engineers was the T-7M sounding rocket. It reached a height of 8 km in February 1960. Mao Zedong praised this success.
Chinese scientists then designed and built their first missile completely on their own, called Dongfeng-2 (DF-2). After some challenges, DF-2 had its first successful launch in June 1964. This was a big step for China's own missile technology. An improved version, Dongfeng-2A, even launched a nuclear warhead in October 1966.
With growing missile success, China planned to develop rockets that could launch satellites. This new plan was called Project 651. On April 24, 1970, China successfully launched the Dong Fang Hong I satellite. It was carried by a Long March 1 rocket from Jiuquan. This satellite weighed 173 kg, making it the heaviest first satellite launched by any nation. China's second satellite, ShiJian-1, was launched in March 1971.
China also made small steps in sending humans to space. In 1964, a rocket carried eight white mice and returned them safely. In 1967, Mao and Zhou Enlai decided China should have its own crewed space program, called Project 714. The first spacecraft for humans was named Shuguang-1. Nineteen astronauts were chosen in 1971, but the program was canceled later that year due to political issues.
China also developed the Dongfeng-5 (DF-5) missile, which could travel long distances. Its technology was used to create two different types of rockets: Feng Bao 1 (FB-1) and Long March 2 (CZ-2). In July 1975, FB-1 launched a satellite weighing over 1 metric ton. In November 1975, CZ-2 launched a satellite that returned to Earth safely. This made China the third country able to recover a satellite.
New Beginnings: Satellites and Human Spaceflight Plans
After 1978, China focused more on economic development. The first Yuanwang-class ship, used for tracking spacecraft, was ready in 1979. The Long March 2C rocket, an improved version of Long March 2, started flying in 1982. It could carry 2,500 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO). This rocket became very important for China's space program.
China also needed its own communication satellites. So, the Project 331 program began in 1975. The first satellites were called Dong Fang Hong 2 (DFH-2). To launch these satellites into a much higher geostationary orbit, China needed a more powerful rocket: the Long March 3 (CZ-3). This rocket used advanced fuel called liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. The Xichang Satellite Launch Center was chosen as the launch site for Long March 3 because its location was good for launching satellites into geostationary orbit.
In January 1984, the first Long March 3 launch failed to put the satellite in the correct orbit. But engineers quickly found and fixed the problem. Just 70 days later, in April 1984, Long March 3 successfully launched another DFH-2 satellite into its target orbit. This made China the fifth country to develop and launch its own geostationary satellite. By February 1986, China no longer had to rely on other countries for communication satellites.
In the 1980s, human spaceflight became very active around the world. China also quietly restarted its human spaceflight program. In March 1986, a plan called Project 863 was proposed by four scientists. It aimed to boost advanced technologies, including human spaceflight. This project led to early studies for China's new human spaceflight program.
Commercial Launches and Challenges in the 1990s
After the success of Long March 3, China started offering commercial launch services to international customers in 1985. The first contract was signed in 1989 with AsiaSat to launch their satellite. In April 1990, a Long March 3 rocket successfully launched AsiaSat 1. This was a great start for China's commercial space business.
However, the Long March 3 could not carry the new, heavier communication satellites. So, China introduced the Long March 2E (CZ-2E), which had extra boosters and could carry up to 3,000 kg. Its development was very fast, taking only 18 months. In September 1990, Long March 2E had a successful test flight.
But in March 1992, a launch of Long March 2E failed right after ignition. The rocket did not lift off. Luckily, engineers managed to save the rocket and its payload. Five months later, in August, a new Long March 2E successfully launched the Optus satellite.
In 1996, during the first flight of the improved Long March 3B (CZ-3B) rocket, a terrible accident happened. The rocket crashed shortly after launch, killing 6 people and injuring 57. This was the worst event in China's space program history. Another launch failure happened a few months later. These failures hurt the reputation of the Long March rockets.
China's space industry then worked hard to improve quality. They set up a strict quality control system. This greatly increased their success rate. For 15 years, from 1996 to 2011, China had 102 successful space launches in a row! In August 1997, Long March 3B had its first successful flight, launching a 3,770 kg satellite. It became China's most powerful rocket for nearly 20 years.
Around this time, the United States accused some American companies of sharing technology with China that could help its missile program. This led to new rules that stopped US-made satellite parts from being launched on Chinese rockets. This greatly affected China's commercial launch business.
Despite these challenges, China made a huge step forward in human spaceflight. On November 20, 1999, Shenzhou 1, the first uncrewed Shenzhou spacecraft designed for human spaceflight, was launched. It orbited Earth 14 times and landed safely the next day. This success made China's secret human spaceflight program, the China Manned Space Program (CMS), public. This program, approved in 1992 as Project 921, had three main goals: launching and returning crewed spacecraft, building a space laboratory for short missions, and creating a long-term space station. Fourteen astronauts were chosen and began training.
Big Steps: Shenzhou and Chang'e in the 2000s
In the 2000s, China's economy grew very fast, leading to more money for space programs and many big achievements. In 2000, the Chinese government shared its space goals. These included building Earth observation systems, communication systems, a navigation system, improving rockets, achieving human spaceflight, and exploring outer space.
The navigation system mentioned was Beidou. Its development started in 1983. The first two BeiDou-1 satellites were launched in 2000. This experimental system offered basic positioning services in and around China. Later, China started building BeiDou-2, a more advanced system for the Asia-Pacific region.
Another big goal was human spaceflight. From 2001 to 2003, China conducted three more uncrewed Shenzhou test flights. These flights checked all the systems needed for human spaceflight. The last rehearsal, Shenzhou 4, flew for over 6 days in December 2002.
On October 15, 2003, the first Chinese astronaut, Yang Liwei, was launched aboard Shenzhou 5. He orbited Earth 14 times for over 21 hours and landed safely the next morning. Yang Liwei walked out of the capsule himself. This mission was a huge success for China and was celebrated worldwide. It made China the third country to achieve independent human spaceflight, after the Soviet Union/Russia and the United States.
The China Manned Space Program kept going. In 2005, two astronauts, Fei Junlong and Nie Haisheng, completed China's first multi-person, multi-day spaceflight on Shenzhou 6. In September 2008, Shenzhou 7 launched with three astronauts. During this mission, Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming performed China's first spacewalk in orbit.
Around the same time, China began planning to explore beyond Earth, starting with the Moon. In January 2004, the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP) was officially approved. It had three phases: "Orbiting, Landing, Returning." All these phases would use robotic probes.
On October 24, 2007, the first lunar orbiter, Chang'e 1, was successfully launched. It entered Moon orbit in November and created China's first lunar map. In March 2009, Chang'e-1 made a controlled landing on the Moon's surface. This mission was China's first deep space exploration and a big achievement.
China also made some progress in commercial launches. In April 2005, China launched a communication satellite for a French company. In May 2007, China launched the NigComSat-1 satellite for Nigeria, providing both the satellite and the launch service.
Growth and New Technologies in the 2010s
In the 2010s, China's economy continued to grow rapidly. This led to a high demand for detailed Earth observation. To avoid relying on foreign data, China started the Gaofen program in May 2010. Its goal was to build an all-day, all-weather Earth observation system. The first Gaofen satellite was launched in April 2013. Today, over 30 Gaofen satellites are in operation.
The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System also grew very quickly. By late 2012, the BeiDou-2 system, with 14 satellites, was providing service to the Asia-Pacific region. The more advanced BeiDou-3 system started construction in November 2017. China launched 30 satellites for BeiDou-3 in just three years. On July 31, 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that the BeiDou-3 system was complete and ready to serve the whole world. It is now one of the four main global navigation systems recognized by the United Nations.
The China Manned Space Program continued to make breakthroughs. In 2011, China launched Tiangong 1, a target vehicle for practicing docking. The uncrewed Shenzhou 8 spacecraft docked with Tiangong 1 in November 2011, showing China's ability to connect spacecraft automatically. In June 2012, Shenzhou 9 carried China's first female astronaut, Liu Yang, and two male astronauts. They successfully docked with Tiangong 1 manually. These missions proved China's mastery of space rendezvous and docking. Shenzhou 10 later docked with Tiangong 1, and the astronauts conducted experiments and even gave a lecture to students from space.
Tiangong 2, China's first real space laboratory, was launched in September 2016. Astronauts from Shenzhou 11 stayed there for about 30 days, setting a new record for China's longest human spaceflight. In April 2017, China's first cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou 1, docked with Tiangong 2 and practiced refueling in space. These missions showed China's ability to support astronauts for medium periods and resupply them, preparing the way for building a full space station.
In deep space exploration, China moved to the "Landing" phase of its lunar program. Chang'e 2 was launched in October 2010 to map the Moon. On December 2, 2013, Chang'e 3, China's first lunar lander, was launched. It successfully landed on the Moon on December 14, making China the third country to achieve a soft-landing on another celestial body. A day later, the Yutu rover was deployed to explore the lunar surface.
China also made its first attempt at exploring Mars. Yinghuo-1, China's first Mars orbiter, was launched with a Russian spacecraft in November 2011. However, the Russian rocket failed, and both probes burned up in Earth's atmosphere. Even though it failed, this mission helped gather talented people for China's future interplanetary research. In December 2012, the Chinese lunar probe Chang'e 2 flew past an asteroid, becoming China's first interplanetary probe. In 2016, China officially approved its first independent Mars mission, aiming to orbit, land, and rove on Mars in one go by 2020.
The Long March rockets, the backbone of China's space program, also went through a big change. For decades, they used older, more toxic fuels. To become more competitive, China started developing new, cleaner, and more efficient engines using LOX (liquid oxygen) and kerosene. The new engine, YF-100, was ready in 2012. In September 2015, the small Long March 6 rocket, using one YF-100 engine, had its first successful flight. In June 2016, the medium-lift Long March 7 rocket, with six YF-100 engines, also had a successful first flight. These launches marked the start of China's "new generation of Long March rockets."
The first launch of Long March 7 was also the first launch from the new Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan. Wenchang is China's newest and most advanced spaceport. Its location near the equator allows rockets to carry more payload. Also, rocket debris falls into the ocean, making it safer. Large rockets can also be delivered to Wenchang by sea. These advantages make Wenchang very important for China's major space missions.
The biggest breakthrough was the Long March 5, China's first heavy-lift launch vehicle. It uses new technologies and is much more powerful than previous rockets. It can lift up to 25 tons to LEO, making it one of the most powerful rockets in the world. After a successful first flight in late 2016, the second launch of Long March 5 in July 2017 failed. This was a big setback, and many planned missions were delayed.
Despite the Long March 5 setback, China made history in space exploration. The Moon always shows the same side to Earth. No country had ever explored the far side of the Moon up close because it's hard to communicate there. China solved this problem by launching Queqiao, a relay satellite, in May 2018. Queqiao orbits a special point in space that allows it to communicate with the far side of the Moon and Earth. On January 3, 2019, Chang'e 4 successfully soft-landed on the far side of the Moon and sent back the first close-up images. A rover named Yutu-2 was deployed, leaving the first tracks on the far side. This made China the first country to land and rove on the far side of the Moon.
Other notable events in this period include China launching the world's first quantum communications satellite, Mozi, in August 2016. In June 2017, the first Chinese X-ray astronomy satellite, Huiyan, was launched. In 2018, China performed more orbital launches than any other country for the first time. In June 2019, China conducted its first Sea Launch. In July, a Chinese private company, i-Space, successfully launched a rocket into orbit.
As the 2010s ended, the Long March 5 rocket returned to flight on December 27, 2019, after being grounded for over two years. The mission was a full success, launching China's heaviest satellite. The return of Long March 5 opened the way for many world-class space projects in the 2020s.
China's Space Achievements: 2020-Present
The powerful Long March 5 rocket allowed China to achieve many ambitious goals. Since 2020, China's space program has made huge progress, completing some of the most challenging missions in space history.
The "Third Step" of the China Manned Space Program began in 2020. The Long March 5B rocket, a version of Long March 5, had its first successful flight in May 2020. This rocket can deliver large modules for China's space station. On April 29, 2021, the Tianhe core module, the main part of the China Space Station (also called Tiangong Space Station), was launched. This marked the start of the space station's construction.
A month later, China launched Tianzhou 2, the first cargo mission to the station. On June 17, Shenzhou 12, the first crewed mission to the station, was launched. The astronauts docked with Tianhe and became the station's first residents. They lived and worked there for three months, performed two spacewalks, and returned safely in September 2021. This broke China's record for the longest human spaceflight. A month later, the Shenzhou 13 crew was launched. Astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu stayed on the station for over 180 days, setting a new record. Wang Yaping became the first Chinese female to perform a spacewalk.
In May 2022, China began assembling its space station. On June 5, 2022, Shenzhou 14 was launched. The crew welcomed two new space station modules. On July 24, the Wentian laboratory module, China's largest and heaviest spacecraft, was launched and docked with the station. On October 31, the Mengtian laboratory module, the third and final module, was launched and docked. On November 3, the space station was completed in its "T-shape." On November 29, Shenzhou 15 was launched and docked. The Shenzhou 15 astronauts were welcomed by the Shenzhou 14 crew, marking the first time two Chinese astronaut crews met in space. This began an era of continuous Chinese astronaut presence in space.
The third phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program also moved forward in 2020. In 2014, China conducted the Chang'e 5-T1 mission, which showed it could return a spacecraft from lunar orbit to Earth. This prepared the way for a lunar sample return mission. The failure of Long March 5 in 2017 delayed this mission. But after Long March 5's successful return to flight in late 2019, the mission, called Chang'e 5, launched on November 24, 2020.
The Chang'e-5 spacecraft entered lunar orbit on November 28. Its lander touched down on the Moon on December 1 and collected samples. On December 3, the ascent vehicle took off from the Moon, carrying the samples. This was the first time China launched a spacecraft from another celestial body. On December 6, the ascent vehicle docked with the orbiter in lunar orbit and transferred the samples. This was the first robotic rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit in history. The return capsule landed safely in Inner Mongolia on December 17.
On December 19, 2020, China announced that Chang'e-5 had brought back 1,731 grams of samples from the Moon. This mission achieved many amazing things: China's first lunar sampling, first liftoff from an extraterrestrial body, first automated rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit, and the first spacecraft to return samples to Earth at high speed. Its success completed the "Orbiting, Landing, Returning" goals of the CLEP.
Before Chang'e-5, China's first Mars probe had already left Earth. Since 2016, China had developed many technologies for a Mars mission, including a deep space network and landing systems. The Long March 5 rocket was ready. On April 24, 2020, China announced its first independent Mars mission, Tianwen-1. On July 23, 2020, Tianwen-1 was successfully launched. The spacecraft included an orbiter, a lander, and a rover. It aimed to orbit, land, and rove on Mars in one single mission. Many experts called this mission "ambitious" because it was so complex.
After a seven-month journey, Tianwen-1 entered Mars orbit on February 10, 2021. The orbiter started surveying Mars to prepare for landing. On April 24, China announced that the Mars rover was named Zhurong, after the ancient Chinese god of fire.
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On May 15, 2021, Tianwen-1 began its landing process. Three hours later, the lander successfully touched down on Utopia Planitia on Mars. On May 25, the Zhurong rover drove onto the Martian surface. On June 11, China released the first high-resolution images from the rover, confirming the success of the Mars landing. Tianwen-1 completed the difficult task of orbiting, landing, and roving on Mars in one attempt. This made China the second nation to land and drive a rover on Mars, after the United States. It showed the world China's fast-growing presence in space.
What's Next for China in Space?
According to a 2022 government report, China plans more human spaceflight, lunar, and planetary exploration missions. These include:
- Launching the Xuntian Space Telescope.
- The Chang'e 6 mission to collect Moon samples from the far side.
- The Chang'e 7 mission to land near the Moon's poles and explore shadowed areas.
- The Tianwen-2 mission to collect samples from near-Earth asteroids and study comets.
China is also planning to land its astronauts on the Moon by 2030. They are developing a new crewed rocket (Long March 10), a new generation crew spacecraft, a lunar lander, and Moon suits for this goal.
China's Space Program and Other Countries
Working with Other Nations
China often works with other developing countries on space projects. It can launch their satellites at a lower cost and sometimes provides loans to help. For example, China has launched satellites for several African countries like Ethiopia, Nigeria, Algeria, Sudan, and Egypt.
China and Namibia work together at the China Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Station in Namibia. This station helps track Chinese satellites and space missions.
China and Brazil have also worked together successfully in space. They have jointly developed six China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellites. These projects have helped both countries get satellite images and do research. This cooperation is a unique example of two developing countries working together in space.
International Challenges
China is part of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. However, the United States government has sometimes been hesitant to use China's launch services. This is due to worries that civilian technology could also be used for military purposes by other countries.
The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has rules that stop its researchers from working with Chinese citizens connected to Chinese state companies. This policy started after a 1998 U.S. Congressional report suggested that American technology given to China for commercial satellites might have helped improve Chinese missile technology. In 2007, China destroyed an old satellite in orbit to test an anti-satellite missile. This created a lot of space junk, which increased the risk of collisions for other countries' satellites.
In response, China has opened its space station to scientists from all countries. Some American scientists have also protested NASA's rules that exclude Chinese nationals from events.
How China's Space Program is Organized
The Chinese space program was first run by the military. In the 1990s, it was reorganized to be more like Western defense industries.
The China National Space Administration (CNSA) is now in charge of launches. The Long March rockets are made by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Satellites are made by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. These are state-owned companies, but the government wants them to act like independent design groups.
Space Centers and Universities
China's space program also works closely with many universities and institutes that teach aerospace science and engineering.
China has several "space cities" and bases:
- Dongfeng space city
- Beijing space city
- Wenchang space city
- Shanghai space city
- Yantai space city
- Guizhou Aerospace Industrial Park
There are also sites for launching smaller rockets:
- Nanhui (where the first T-7M rocket was launched)
- Base 603 (where the first biological experiment rocket was launched)
Satellite Launch Centers
China operates 4 main satellite launch centers:
- Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC)
- Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC)
- Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC)
- Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site (managed by Xichang SLC)
Monitoring and Control Centers
China has centers to track and control its spacecraft:
- Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center (BACCC)
- Xi'an Satellite Control Center (XSCC)
- A fleet of six Yuanwang-class ships that track spacecraft from the ocean.
- Tianlian I and Tianlian II satellites that relay data to Earth, improving communication with spacecraft.
- A Chinese Deep Space Network with large radio antennas across China, forming a huge listening network.
China also has many domestic tracking stations and shares facilities with countries like France, Brazil, Sweden, and Australia. It also has overseas tracking stations in Kiribati, Kenya, Namibia, and Argentina.
Crewed Landing Sites
- Siziwang Banner in Inner Mongolia is where Chinese astronauts land after their missions.
Key Space Programs
China Manned Space Program (Project 921)
This program is China's main effort to send humans into space. It started in 1992.
- Spacecraft: The Shenzhou spacecraft is designed to carry astronauts. There were four uncrewed test flights (Shenzhou 1-4) to make sure everything worked. Then came the successful Shenzhou 5 in October 2003, which carried Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut. Shenzhou 6 followed two years later. These missions use the Long March 2F rocket and launch from Jiuquan.
- Space Laboratory: The second phase involved building space laboratories. China launched Tiangong 1 in 2011. The uncrewed Shenzhou 8 docked with it, testing how spacecraft connect. Then, Shenzhou 9 carried three astronauts, including China's first female astronaut, Liu Yang, who also docked with Tiangong 1. Shenzhou 10 also visited Tiangong 1.
- Space Station: A larger, permanent space station is the third and final phase of Project 921. The first part, the Tianhe core module, was launched in April 2021. It was visited by the Shenzhou 12 crew. The Tiangong Space Station was completed in 2022 and is now fully operational.
Lunar Exploration Program
China's uncrewed Moon exploration project started in 2004. It has three phases: orbiting the Moon, landing on the Moon, and bringing samples back from the Moon.
- First phase: Chang'e 1 (2007) and Chang'e 2 (2010) orbited the Moon.
- Second phase: Chang'e 3 (2013) successfully soft-landed on the Moon with the Yutu rover. Chang'e 4 (2019) made history by landing on the far side of the Moon with its Yutu-2 rover, using a relay satellite called Queqiao for communication.
- Third phase: Chang'e 5 (2020) successfully brought Moon samples back to Earth, making China the third country to do so.
- Fourth phase: Future missions like Chang'e 6, Chang'e 7, and Chang'e 8 will explore the Moon's south pole and may even use 3D printing with Moon dust.
- Crewed mission: China plans to land its astronauts on the Moon in the 2030s.
Mars and Beyond Exploration
China is also exploring planets beyond the Moon.
- First Mars Mission: The first mission, Tianwen-1, launched in July 2020. It included an orbiter, a lander, and the Zhurong rover. It successfully reached Mars in February 2021, and the rover landed in May 2021, making China the second nation to land and drive a rover on Mars.
- Future Missions:
- Tianwen-2 (planned for 2025) will collect samples from asteroids and study comets.
- Interstellar Express (planned around 2024–2026) aims to explore the heliosphere and interstellar space, becoming the first non-NASA probes to leave our Solar System.
- A Mars sample-return mission is planned for around 2028–2030 to bring Martian samples back to Earth.
- A Jupiter System orbiter is proposed for around 2029–2030 to study Jupiter and its moons.
- A mission to Uranus is also being considered for after 2030.
Space-Based Solar Power
China is also looking into building power stations in space that would collect solar energy and beam it back to Earth. This is a huge project, like an "Apollo program for energy." China aims to have a small test power station in orbit by 2022, a larger one by 2030, and a full commercial system by 2050.
Images for kids
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Long March 1 carrying Dong Fang Hong 1
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Long March 5B launching
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Chang'e 4 lander on the far side of the Moon
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Zhurong rover on Mars
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Shenzhou 14 crew heading to space
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Robotic arms on Tiangong Space Station
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Chinese astronaut performing spacewalk
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Qian Xuesen, a key scientist who helped start China's space program.
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Mao Zedong looking at a T-7M rocket after it was launched.
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Dong Fang Hong I - China's first satellite (1970)
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YF-73, China's first cryogenic engine.
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The Xichang Satellite Launch Center, important for launching communication satellites.
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A picture of the Long March 2E rocket.
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The launch of Long March 3B Rocket in 1997
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The return capsule of Shenzhou 1, China's first uncrewed spacecraft.
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Coverage of BeiDou-1 service in early 2000s
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The first Chinese astronaut Yang Liwei
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The return capsule and space suit from Shenzhou 5, used by Yang Liwei.
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First spacewalk by Chinese astronaut in 2008
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A map of the Moon created by Chang'e-1.
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Images taken by Gaofen satellites, showing a forest fire.
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Liu Yang became China's first female astronaut in 2012.
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A docking device used by Chinese spacecraft.
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A picture showing the Tianzhou-1 cargo spacecraft connected to the Tiangong-2 space laboratory.
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Yutu, China's first lunar rover, landed on the Moon during the Chang'e-3 mission.
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A photo of 4179 Toutatis taken by Chang'e 2 during a flyby.
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The powerful Long March 5 rocket at the Wenchang Space Launch Site.
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YF-100 (middle) and YF-77 (right) are two engines for new Long March rockets.
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A view of the Wenchang Space Launch Site from a nearby beach.
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Queqiao relay satellite separating from its rocket on its way to the Moon.
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Chang'e-4 and Yutu-2 on the far side of the Moon.
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The Tiangong Space Station after it was completed in November 2022.
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Astronaut Fei Junlong performing a spacewalk outside the Tiangong Space Station.
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The first meeting of two Chinese astronaut crews on the Tiangong Space Station in November 2022.
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A model of the Chang'e 5 lander and ascender at the China Science and Technology Museum.
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A picture of the Chang'e 5 ascender and lander on the Moon.
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Some of the Moon samples brought back by Chang'e-5.
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The Zhurong rover taking a selfie with its lander on Mars.
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The Zhurong rover and its lander on Mars, seen by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
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A model of the Xuntian Space Telescope.
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- Beihang University
- Two Bombs, One Satellite
- Chinese women in space
- Harbin Institute of Technology
- List of human spaceflights to the Tiangong space station
