China Space Program

China became the third country ever to launch a human into space in 2003 and has been expanding its space program ever since. Get the latest news about China's space program, launches and space missions.

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China’s Chang’e 4 lander and Yutu 2 rover, photographed by each other.

Are China's moon missions a threat to the US? Space experts don't think so

By Elizabeth Howell

U.S. fears that China could set up a moon base for spying do not line up with the country's statements about its space program, according to security experts.

A Chinese Long March 2C rocket lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center carrying three Yaogan surveillance satellites into orbit, on March 24, 2020.

China's Long March 2C rocket launches military surveillance satellites into orbit

By Hanneke Weitering

China successfully launched three new military surveillance satellites into orbit on a Long March 2C rocket today (March 24).

China's Chang'e 4 lander and rover awake once more on far side of the moon

By Andrew Jones

China's Chang'e 4 mission has started its 16th lunar day of work on the far side of the moon, with the Yutu 2 rover beginning a journey in search of new areas.

China's first Long March 7 rocket rolls out to its launchpad in June 2016. The debut launch of a new variant, the Long March 7A, apparently failed on March 16, 2020.

China's new Long March 7A rocket fails in debut launch: reports

By Mike Wall

The next-gen Long March 7A booster failed today (March 16) on its debut mission, which aimed to loft a classified satellite to geosynchronous transfer orbit.

The "Eye of Africa" is visible near the top right of this image, which was taken by a camera based on the 108-megapixel camera in Xiaomi’s M10 Pro smartphone.

Chinese smartphone camera photographs Earth from space

By Andrew Jones

Chinese electronics firm Xiaomi went above and beyond to advertise its latest smartphone, sending the device's 100-megapixel camera into space.

A Long March 3B rocket lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on March 9, 2020, carrying the 54th satellite of China's Beidou navigation system into orbit.

China's new navigation system is nearly complete with penultimate Beidou satellite launch

By Elizabeth Howell

The Chinese Beidou satellite navigation system is almost finished, thanks to the launch of a new satellite this week.

Masked employees welcome a Long March 5B rocket to the Wenchang spaceport in February 2020. The booster is scheduled to launch a Chinese orbiter and rover to Mars in July 2020.

China's Mars mission likely still on track for July launch despite coronavirus outbreak

By Andrew Jones

Despite the lack of official comment on the mission, China’s first expedition to Mars appears to be on track.

China's Yutu 2 moon rover looks back on its own tracks.

China's Chang'e 4 lander and rover complete 15th lunar day on moon's far side

By Andrew Jones

China's Chang'e 4 mission has completed its 15th lunar day of work on the far side of the moon.

China's Yutu 2 rover, as seen by the Chang'e 4 lander on the far side of the moon.

Chinese moon rover peers beneath surface of mysterious lunar far side

By Mike Wall

The first published data from the Yutu 2 rover's ground-penetrating radar instrument reveal the layered structure beneath the gray dirt of Von Kármán Crater's floor.

A rock spotted by China's Yutu 2 moon rover, with the robot's tracks also visible.

On the far side of the moon, Chinese lander and rover begin 15th lunar day

By Andrew Jones

China's Chang'e 4 mission has entered its 15th lunar day of work on the far side of the moon, with both the lander and Yutu 2 rover still in good condition.

Two Chinese astronauts as seen on the space station Tiangong-2 on Oct. 19, 2016.

China wants to build a new space station. A planned launch in April will set the stage.

By Elizabeth Howell

China is planning a launch in April to prepare for building the country's next space station.

China's Long March 2D rocket lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Feb. 19, 2020, carrying four Xin Jishu Shiyan test satellites to orbit.

Coronavirus isn't stopping China from launching rockets

By Elizabeth Howell

China resumed satellite launches Wednesday (Feb. 19) amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, lofting a Long March 2D rocket in the country's first launch since the Chinese New Year.

Rock fragments, including one specimen (circled) targeted for analysis, discovered by the Yutu-2 rover.

What's up with that rock? China's moon rover finds something strange on the far side.

By Andrew Jones

China's Yutu-2 lunar rover has discovered what appear to be relatively young rocks during its recent exploration activities on the lunar far side.

An image from an image of China's Long March 8 rocket launching.

China prepares to launch new rockets as part of push to boost space program

By Andrew Jones

China has quietly begun preparations to launch a new range of Long March rockets to boost its space capabilities and carry out major projects.

The crew module (top) and service module of the new Chinese crewed spacecraft.

China readies its new deep-space crew capsule for 1st test flight

By Andrew Jones

A Chinese next-generation spacecraft for taking astronauts to low Earth orbit and beyond has arrived at a coastal spaceport in preparation for a test flight.

China releases huge batch of amazing Chang'e-4 images from moon's far side

By Andrew Jones

China's long-lived lunar robots Chang'e-4 and Yutu-2 are once again at work on the far side of the moon, where they woke up for their 14th day on Jan. 18 and 19.

A Chinese Long March 2D rocket launched four satellites, two for China and two for Argentinian company Satellogic, into orbit from the Taiyun Satellite Launch Center on Jan. 15, 2020.

China lofts 4 satellites into orbit with its second launch of 2020

By Andrew Jones

China successfully sent four satellites into orbit early on Wednesday (Jan. 15) with the country's second launch of 2020.

A Chinese Long March 3B rocket launched the TJS 5 experimental satellite into orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on Jan. 7, 2020.

China kicks off 2020 with mystery satellite launch: report

By Elizabeth Howell

China's first rocket launch of 2020 was a mystery payload, with Chinese state media and independent analysts making different claims about the goal of the mission.

China's Yutu 2 rover leaves tracks on the far side of the moon. The rover and its Chang'e-4 lander hit the one-year mark on the moon on Jan. 3, 2020.

On Far Side of the Moon, Chinese Lander and Rover Hit One-Year Mark

By Leonard David

China hit a historic milestone on the moon Friday (Jan. 3) as its Chang'e 4 lander and rover celebrated their first full year exploring the lunar far side.

China's massive heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket returns to flight in a dazzling nighttime launch from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on Hainan Island.

China's Huge Long March 5 Rocket Returns to Flight in Dazzling Nighttime Launch

By Tariq Malik

China's biggest rocket, the Long March 5, returned to flight for the first time since a 2017 failure Friday (Dec. 27) in a dazzling nighttime launch for the Chinese space program.

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