Chinese Space Program and Achievements

Last Updated : 22 Mar, 2024

Chinese space program and achievements: China’s space program is all about what China does in outer space. It started back in the 1950s when China teamed up with the Soviet Union to build rockets and missiles. In 1970, China launched its first satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1, into space.

China’s space activities are managed by groups like the China National Space Administration and the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force. They have big programs for human spaceflight, navigation satellites, exploring the Moon, and more. Some recent missions include sending rovers to Mars and the Moon and building their space station called Tiangong.

Let us learn more!

Overview of the Chinese Space Program

Aspect	Description
Goals	Exploration of outer space, scientific research, technological development, national prestige
Establishment	Founded in the late 1950s
Major Achievements	Launching satellites, manned space missions, lunar exploration, Mars exploration, building space station
Funding	Funded by the Chinese government, with significant investment in space technology and infrastructure
Space Stations	Developing its own space station, Tiangong, as part of the Tiangong program

Chinese Space Program History

Early years (1950s to mid-1970s)

The Chinese space program began in the 1950s with missile research. China newly founded in 1949, aimed to develop missile technology for defense during the Cold War. In 1955, Qian Xuesen, a rocketry scientist, returned from the United States and proposed a missile program, leading to the establishment of China’s first missile research institute in 1956. This marked the birth of China’s space program.

To start missile development, China made licensed copies of Soviet R-2 missiles in 1957. The plan was to launch China’s first missile in 1959, but it faced delays due to technical challenges. However, China successfully launched its first indigenous rocket, T-7M, in 1960.
The program faced setbacks when Soviet assistance was abruptly withdrawn in 1960. Despite limited resources, China successfully launched its first missile, renamed Dongfeng-1, in 1960. They then developed Dongfeng-2, their first indigenous missile, which successfully launched in 1964.
In 1970, China successfully tested the Dongfeng-4 missile which paved the way for the Long March 1 rocket. They launched their first satellite, Dong Fang Hong 1, in 1970, and their second satellite, ShiJian-1, in 1971.
During the late 1970s and 1980s, China’s space program saw progress despite political changes. They launched their first geostationary communications satellite, Dong Fang Hong 2, in 1984, marking their independent capability in communications satellite development.
In the same period, China quietly revived its human spaceflight program. Project 863 was proposed in 1986 to stimulate advanced technology development, including human spaceflight. This laid the groundwork for future endeavors in human space exploration.

New era (late 1970s to 1980s)

After Mao Zedong’s death on September 9, 1976, Deng Xiaoping, who had been criticized and sidelined during the Cultural Revolution, gradually returned to power as China’s new leader in 1978. Initially, the pace of development slowed and some projects considered unnecessary were canceled including the Fanji ABM system and the Xianfeng Anti-Missile Super Gun.

However, amidst these cancellation some projects continued. In 1979, the first Yuanwang-class space tracking ship was launched, and in 1980, the first full-range test of the DF-5 ICBM was conducted, showcasing China’s growing capabilities in missile technology.
As China shifted its focus from politics to economic development in the late 1970s the demand for communication satellites increased. This led to the initiation of Project 331 in 1975, aimed at developing China’s own communication satellites.
To address the challenge of launching communication satellites into geostationary orbit China developed the Long March 3 (CZ-3) rocket, equipped with a third stage designed for this purpose.
In the 1980s, as human spaceflights became more common globally, China quietly revived its human spaceflight program. Project 863, proposed in 1986 aimed to advance technologies, including those related to human spaceflight, signaling China’s ambitions in space exploration.

The rise and fall of commercial launches (1990s)

In the 1990s, China’s space program ventured into commercial launches, aiming to provide launch services to international customers. The Long March rocket series developed further after the success of Long March 3 became the backbone of this initiative. China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) managed the commercial launches, with support from other entities like CALT and SAST.

The commercial launch program kicked off in 1985, with AsiaSat 1 being the first satellite launched in 1990. To address this, China introduced Long March 2E, the first Chinese rocket with strap-on boosters in 1990. This rocket could carry payloads up to 3,000 kg into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
However, setbacks occurred, such as an abort during the launch of an Optus satellite in 1992 due to technical issues. Despite this, China continued to develop its launch capabilities, launching improved versions of the Long March series.
In 1993, the China Aerospace Corporation was founded, and an improved version of Long March 3, Long March 3A, was introduced in 1994. Tragically, during the first flight of Long March 3B in 1996 the rocket veered off course and crashed, resulting in casualties.
Despite these challenges, China achieved a milestone in 1999 with the successful launch and return of Shenzhou-1, its first uncrewed spacecraft designed for human spaceflight. This marked the beginning of China’s ambitious human spaceflight program, the China Manned Space Program (CMS) which aimed to establish a modular space station among its goals.

Breakthroughs by Shenzhou and Chang’e (2000s)

Since the early 2000s, China has seen rapid economic growth, leading to increased investment in space programs and significant achievements. In November 2000, the Chinese government outlined its space goals for the next decade in its first white paper titled “China’s Space Activities”. These goals included:

Building an earth observation system for long-term stable operation.
Setting up an independently operated satellite broadcasting and telecommunications system.
Establishing an independent satellite navigation and positioning system.
Upgrading the overall capacity of China’s launch vehicles.
Achieving manned spaceflight and establishing a complete R&D and testing system for manned space projects.
Establishing a coordinated national satellite remote-sensing application system.
Developing space science and exploring outer space.

One of the key goals mentioned in the white paper was the development of an independent satellite navigation and positioning system called Beidou. This system, conceived by Chinese scientists in the 1980s, aimed to provide navigation services across China, Asia, and eventually globally. The first phase, known as BeiDou-1 involved launching two experimental satellites in 2000 to provide basic services.

Another major goal was to achieve manned spaceflight. The China Manned Space Program made significant progress in this area during the early 2000s. Between January 2001 and January 2003 China conducted three uncrewed test flights of the Shenzhou spacecraft, culminating in the successful Shenzhou-4 mission in December 2002. Then, on October 15, 2003, Yang Liwei became the first Chinese astronaut to fly into space aboard Shenzhou-5 marking a historic achievement for China.

Following Yang’s mission, China continued to advance its manned space program. In 2005, the country launched its first “multi-person and multi-day” mission with Shenzhou-6, and in 2008 Shenzhou-7 saw China’s first spacewalk conducted by astronauts Zhai Zhigang and Liu Boming.

Despite facing sanctions from the United States, China also made progress in commercial launches during the early 2000s, successfully launching satellites for international customers, such as APStar 6 and NigComSat-1.

Expansion and revolution (2010s)

From 2000 to 2010, China’s economy grew a lot becoming the second biggest in the world. Because of this there was more interest in space stuff, like taking pictures of Earth from space. China wanted to have its own system for this instead of relying on others, so they started the Gaofen program in 2010. The first satellite, Gaofen 1 went up in 2013, and since then, they’ve launched over 30 more.

They also worked on improving their navigation system called Beidou. By 2012, they had 14 satellites up and running, helping people in the Asia-Pacific region find their way around.
China was also busy with sending people to space. In 2012, Liu Yang became the first Chinese woman in space. They launched a space lab called Tiangong-2 in 2016 and even docked a cargo spacecraft with it for experiments.
They didn’t just stop at the Moon. They sent their first lunar lander, Chang’e-3, in 2013 and a rover named Yutu landed there too. They even tried to send a probe to Mars, but it didn’t work out as planned. However they did manage to send a spacecraft, Chang’e 2, to fly by an asteroid called Toutatis in 2012.
At the same time, China was upgrading its rockets. They made a new kind of engine called YF-100, which was more efficient and cleaner. They launched new rockets, like the Long March 6 and 7, which could carry more stuff to space.
Their biggest rocket, the Long March 5, had some trouble with a failed launch in 2017, but they fixed it and had a successful launch in 2019. This made them ready for even bigger missions in the next decade.

2020-present

The Long March 5 rocket, a big achievement of Chinese space technology, has opened up new possibilities for China’s space program. Since 2020, it is been used for some of the most challenging missions ever attempted in space exploration.

In 2020, a variant of Long March 5 called Long March 5B successfully launched the core module of China’s space station.
In May 2022, another Long March 5B launched the Wentian laboratory module, the biggest ever built by China, to add to the space station.
At the same time, China’s lunar exploration program Chang’e, moved forward. Chang’e 5 successfully brought back lunar samples, a first for China, showing off their skills in space exploration.
Looking ahead, China plans to do even more in space. They are aiming for more lunar missions, including a crewed landing on the Moon, and they want to explore asteroids and comets. They’re also planning missions to Jupiter and its moon Callisto, and even a fly-by of Uranus.

List of launchers and projects

Here’s a list of some of China’s notable launchers and space projects:

Launchers:

Air-Launched SLV: Capable of carrying a payload of 50 kilograms or more to a 500 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO).
Ceres-1: Small solid-fueled launch vehicle by a private firm with frequent launches.
Gravity-1: Medium-lift solid fuel launch vehicle designed for sea launch, currently in development.
Hyperbola-1: Small solid-fueled launch vehicle developed by a private firm.
Hyperbola-3: Medium-lift liquid-fueled launch vehicle with a reusable first stage under development by a private firm.
Jielong 3: Small to medium-lift solid fueled launch vehicle currently operational.
Kaituozhe-1A: Quick-reaction small-lift solid fuel launch vehicle.
Lijian-1: Small to medium-lift solid fuel launch vehicle currently in service, developed by a commercial spin-off of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Lijian-2: Medium-lift launch vehicle utilizing liquid fuel with a reusable first stage, under development.
CZ-2E(A): Designed for launching Chinese space station modules, with a payload capacity of up to 14 tons in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
CZ-2F/G: Modified version used for launching robotic missions such as Shenzhou cargo and space laboratory modules.
CZ-3B(A): More powerful Long March rocket with larger-size liquid propellant strap-on motors.
CZ-3C: Launch vehicle combining CZ-3B core with boosters from CZ-2E.
Long March 4C: Launch vehicle.
CZ-5: Heavy-lift hydrolox launch vehicle with kerolox boosters.
CZ-5B: Variant for low Earth orbit payloads.
CZ-6: Small launch vehicle for small satellites up to 500 kg to 700 km SSO.
CZ-7: Medium-lift kerolox launch vehicle for resupply missions to the Tiangong space station.
CZ-8: Medium-lift launch vehicle for payloads to SSO orbits.
CZ-9: Super heavy-lift launch vehicle under development with a LEO lift capability of 150 tonnes.
CZ-10: Crew-rated super-heavy launch vehicle for crewed lunar missions.
CZ-10A: Crew-rated medium-lift launch vehicle for launching next-generation crewed spacecraft to LEOs with reusable first stage.
CZ-11: Small-lift solid fuel quick-response launch vehicle.
Pallas-1: Reusable medium-lift liquid fuel launch vehicle currently under development by a private firm.
Project 921-3: Reusable launch vehicle project of the reusable shuttle system.
Tengyun: Project of a two wing-staged reusable shuttle system.
Reusable Spaceplane: Vertically-launched spaceplane with wings currently in service.
Tianlong 2: Medium-lift kerolox launch vehicle from a private firm.
Tianlong 3: Medium to heavy-lift kerolox launch vehicle with a reusable first stage under development by a private firm.
Zhuque-2: Medium-lift liquid fuel launch vehicle by a private firm currently in service.
Zhuque-3: Medium to heavy-lift methalox launch vehicle by a private firm with reusable first stage under development.

Cancelled/Retired:

CZ-1D: Based on CZ-1 with a new second stage.
Project 869: Reusable shuttle system project.

Space exploration:

China has a program for sending people into space called the Crewed LEO Program. In this program:

Project 921-1 is about the Shenzhou spacecraft, which carries astronauts into space.
Tiangong is the name of the first three Chinese Space Laboratories where astronauts work and live.
Project 921-2 aims to build a permanent Chinese Space Station in space.
Tianzhou is a robotic cargo ship that brings supplies to the Chinese Space Station and takes out trash.
There’s a new version of the Shenzhou spacecraft, which will also carry cargo to the space station and back to Earth.
Project 921-11 is about a reusable spacecraft for the Space Station.
Tianjiao-1 or Chang Cheng-1 are spaceplanes from an old project, while Shenlong and Tengyun are from newer projects. These are all spaceplanes meant for different missions.
There’s also a project for a special space shuttle that uses magnetic levitation to help launch into space.

China also has a program for exploring the Moon:

First, they sent Chang’e 1 and Chang’e 2 to orbit the Moon in 2007 and 2010.
Then, Chang’e 3 and Chang’e 4 landed on the Moon in 2013 and 2018.
Chang’e 5-T1 and Chang’e 5 collected samples from the Moon in 2014 and 2020.
Next, they plan to send Chang’e 6 to bring back samples from the far side of the Moon in 2024. They’ll also send Chang’e 7 and Chang’e 8 to explore the south pole of the Moon for resources. They might even try to 3D-print things using Moon rocks!
China also aims to send people to the Moon by 2030 using new spacecraft and a lunar lander.

Impact and Significance of China’s Space Achievements

China’s space achievements have made the country a major player in the global space arena.
These achievements include launching satellites, sending spacecraft to the Moon and Mars and building a space station.
China’s space program has practical applications, such as improving telecommunications, weather forecasting, and navigation systems.
It has also stimulated innovation and technological advancements in various sectors, leading to economic growth and job creation.
China’s space missions have garnered international attention and respect, enhancing the country’s prestige and influence on the world stage.
China’s space exploration efforts contribute to scientific research and our understanding of the universe.
By participating in international collaborations and partnerships, China promotes cooperation and mutual benefit in space exploration.
Overall, China’s space achievements have a significant impact on its technological prowess, economic development, global standing, and contributions to humanity quest for knowledge beyond Earth.

Chinese Space Program and Achievements 2024

The Chinese space program, also known as the China National Space Administration (CNSA), has made significant achievements in recent years. Here are some key highlights:

Manned Space Missions (Shenzhou Program): China has developed its own crewed spacecraft, called Shenzhou, which has successfully launched astronauts into space and conducted various missions. These missions have included spacewalks, docking with space laboratories, and experiments in space.

Tiangong Space Stations: China has been developing space stations under the Tiangong program. Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2 were experimental space laboratories, while Tiangong-3 is part of China’s efforts to build a permanent modular space station in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Chang’e Lunar Exploration Program: China’s lunar exploration program, named after the Chinese moon goddess Chang’e, has achieved several significant milestones. This includes orbiters, landers, and rovers sent to explore the Moon’s surface. Chang’e missions have conducted geological surveys, collected samples, and investigated the Moon’s environment.

Yutu Lunar Rovers: As part of the Chang’e program China has deployed several lunar rovers, including Yutu-1 (Jade Rabbit) and Yutu-2, which have explored the lunar surface, conducted scientific experiments and provided valuable information about the Moon.

Mars Exploration: China has also ventured into Mars exploration with its Tianwen-1 mission. Tianwen-1 includes an orbiter, a lander, and a rover, aiming to study the Martian environment, search for signs of past life, and conduct geological investigations.

Beidou Navigation Satellite System: China has developed its own global navigation satellite system, known as Beidou, to provide positioning, navigation and timing services. Beidou aims to offer an alternative to the US GPS and enhance China’s technological capabilities.

Space Station Collaboration: China has been actively collaborating with other countries in space exploration efforts. For instance, it has cooperated with Russia in crewed space missions and participated in international space initiatives.

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FAQs on Chinese space program and achievements

What is the Chinese space program?

The Chinese space program, officially known as the China National Space Administration (CNSA), is the national space agency of China responsible for space exploration, satellite launches, and related activities.

What are the main goals of the Chinese space program?

The primary goals of the Chinese space program include advancing scientific research, technological innovation, national security, and international cooperation. Specific objectives include lunar exploration, Mars exploration, building a space station, and developing satellite technologies.

What are some notable achievements of the Chinese space program?

Notable achievements include launching crewed missions with the Shenzhou spacecraft, constructing space laboratories under the Tiangong program, exploring the Moon with the Chang’e missions and lunar rovers (Yutu), launching the Beidou navigation satellite system, and exploring Mars with the Tianwen-1 mission.

What is the Chinese space program called?

The Chinese space program is officially called the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

Who was the first Chinese woman in space?

The first Chinese woman in space was Liu Yang.

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