China's rocketry program began in the 1950s. The first Chinese satellite, Dongfanghong-1 (The East is Red) was launched into orbit in 1970. China became the fifth country to launch a satellite into space. The manned space program was inaugurated in 1992 (Project 921). The first Chinese Astronaut (Taikonaut) was Yang Liwei. He was launched on Shenzhou 5 on October. 15, 2003. China was the third nation capable of putting a human in space on its own, after Soviets and the U.S. One of the goals of China's manned space program is to build a permanent space station.
Chinese Spacecraft:
Shenzhou: Chinese Spacecraft is launched on a Long March 2F booster from Jiuquan.There are three major space launch bases in China: Jiuquan, Taiyuan and Xichang.
History* Shenzhou 5: China's first man ins space was Yang Liwei. Launch on October 15, 2003
* Shenzhou 6 launched the second manned mission on October 12, 2005 with two Taikonauts: Nie Haisheng and Fei Junlong.
* Shenzhou 7 was the third human spaceflight mission and was launched 25 September 2008. On this mission Chinese Taikonauts conducted the first Chinese Space Walk.
* First Chinese Moon robotic spacecraft is called Chang'e 1 and was launched in 2007.
* Shenzhou 8: Two spacecraft in orbit for the first time ever docked when Shenzhou 8 docked with Tiangong-1 module.
China's future plans for its space program.
* Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spaceships will be launched in 2012. They may conduct rendezvous docking in orbit by 2012.
Space Station
* Tiangong 1, which means 'Heavenly Palace' in Chinese, is a Chinese module for a space station in development. The launch of this laboratory module is planned for 2011/2012. The module will be an 8.5 ton and it is planned that Shenzhou 8, Shenzhou 9 and Shenzhou 10 will dock with it during its two year lifespan. It is part of Project 921-2.
* On 26 April 2011 Chinese authorities unveiled plans to build a space station and develop a cargo spaceship as part of its manned space program.
* The Space Station will weigh 60-ton. This is smaller compared to the International Space Station (419 tons: 1998-present) and Russia's Mir Space Station (137 tons: 1986 - 2001)
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Updated: Sunday 23rd, October, 2011