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.

Related Topics: International Space Station, India Mars Orbiter Mission, Rocket Launches 

Latest Updates

A Shenzhou 15 astronaut participates in the mission's second spacewalk outside the Tiangong space station, apparently in late February 2023. (China has not specified the date on which the activity took place.)

China's Shenzhou 15 astronauts perform 2nd spacewalk and 1st 'fire in space' test (video)

By Mike Wall published

China's Shenzhou 15 astronauts conducted the second spacewalk of their mission and the first 'fire in space' test aboard the Tiangong space station.

Shenzhou 15 astronauts Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu get in a workout aboard China's Tiangong space station.

China selects mystery astronauts for 2023 missions to Tiangong space station

By Andrew Jones published

China has selected the astronauts that will fly a pair of crewed missions to its Tiangong space station this year.

An illustration of Earth showing how far away geostationary orbit is

A Chinese spacecraft has been checking out US satellites high above Earth

By Andrew Jones published

The Chinese satellite TJS-3, which launched in 2018, has been inspecting other nations' spacecraft high above Earth in geostationary orbit.

Insulation tiles fall from a Long March 2C rocket carrying the Horus 1 satellite as it rises from the launch pad at Jiuquan spaceport on Feb. 23, 2023.

China launches secretive Horus 1 remote-sensing satellite (video)

By Andrew Jones published

China sent a secretive remote-sensing satellite named Horus 1 to orbit on Friday night (Feb. 23) as the country begins to ramp up its launch activity.

A 'selfie' taken by China's Zhurong Mars rover during the Tianwen 1 mission.

China's Zhurong rover reveals complex layers beneath the surface of Mars

By Andrew Jones published

China's Zhurong rover has provided one of the few peeks into what lies below the surface of Mars.

A three-panel image consisting of photographs of the surface of Mars. China's Zhurong rover can be seen in the same location in each panel.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter confirms that China's Zhurong rover has been stationary for months

By Stefanie Waldek published

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed China's Zhurong rover in the same location for five months, indicating the rover has not yet awoken from hibernation.

A 'selfie' taken by China's Zhurong Mars rover during the Tianwen 1 mission.

China silent on fate of Zhurong Mars rover on 2nd anniversary of Tianwen 1 mission

By Andrew Jones published

China's Zhurong Mars rover remains silent despite being expected to wake up in December — but there's still hope that the vehicle could rise from its extended slumber.

The six astronauts of China's Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 missions to the Tiangong space station pose for a crew photo in orbit in November 2022.

China to send 2 astronaut crews, 1 cargo ship to Tiangong space station this year

By Andrew Jones published

China plans to launch a pair of crewed missions to its new space station this year, with supplies also heading to orbit on a Tianzhou cargo ship.

Artist's illustration of asteroids near Earth.

Chinese asteroid-detection system enters new phase of construction

By Andrew Jones published

The "China Compound Eye" radar array aims to track and characterize potentially threatening deep-space objects.

China's Shenzhou 14 crewed mission launches atop a Long March 2F rocket on June 4, 2022.

Pakistan gets space-flown seeds from China's Shenzhou 14 mission (video)

By Andrew Jones published

Seeds sent along with a Chinese astronaut mission have been returned to Pakistan following a six-month-long stay aboard the Tiangong space station.

Shenzhou 15 astronauts Deng Qingming and Zhang Lu get in a workout aboard China's Tiangong space station.

Here's how China's astronauts keep fit aboard Tiangong space station (video)

By Andrew Jones published

China's astronauts are working up a sweat in orbit with a variety of exercise machines designed to keep them fit and fight the loss of bone density that comes with living in microgravity.

Commander Fei Junlong during the first Shenzhou 15 mission spacewalk, on Feb. 9, 2023, imaged by Wentian module panoramic camera B.

China's Shenzhou 15 astronauts take their 1st spacewalk outside Tiangong space station (video)

By Andrew Jones published

Two Chinese astronauts headed outside of the Tiangong space station on Thursday (Feb. 9) for a seven-hour-long spacewalk, the first of the ongoing Shenzhou 15 mission.

Shenzhou 14 astronauts Chen Dong and Cai Xuzhe performed a spacewalk outside China's Tiangong space station on Nov. 16-17, 2022.

China's Shenzhou 15 astronauts prepare for their 1st spacewalk

By Andrew Jones published

The coming EVA will be the first of three or four spacewalks the Shenzhou 15 trio will perform during their six months aboard the Tiangong space station.

The six astronauts of China's Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 missions to the Tiangong space station pose for a crew photo in orbit in November 2022.

Europe won't send astronauts to China's Tiangong space station after all: report

By Mike Wall published

At the moment, the European Space Agency doesn't have the money or the political "green light" for crewed missions to China's Tiangong space station.

China's Shenzhou-15 manned spacecraft and a Long March-2F rocket being transferred to the launching area at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on November 21, 2022 in Jiuquan, Gansu Province of China.

China wants to launch over 200 spacecraft in 2023

By Andrew Jones published

China last year performed 64 orbital rocket launches and finished building its own space station, but the country is planning an even busier year for 2023.

China is working on a new moon rover that will be more autonomous and slightly bigger than its Yutu 2 robot, seen here, which has been exploring the lunar far side since 2019.

China working on new moon rover for 2026 mission to lunar south pole

By Andrew Jones published

China is working on a new lunar rover that will begin to explore the south pole of the moon around 2026.

Winding tracks made by China's Yutu 2 moon rover in the regolith of Von Kármán crater, imaged in January 2023.

China's Yutu 2 rover still going strong after 4 years on the moon's far side

By Andrew Jones published

China's Yutu 2 rover is still operating after four years on the moon and has returned new images from the lunar far side.

A Chinese Long March 7A rocket launches the Shijian 23 technology-verification satellite on Jan. 8, 2023.

Classified Chinese satellite releases small object in orbit

By Andrew Jones published

A classified Chinese technology verification satellite that launched earlier this month has released an object into orbit alongside it, for reasons that remain mysterious.

three astronauts holding red signs in a space station

Astronauts ring in Chinese New Year on Tiangong space station

By Elizabeth Howell published

The three crew members of Shenzhou 15 decked out their in-space living quarters in red to celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit on Sunday (Jan. 22).

A Chinese Long March 2D rocket lifts off from the frost-covered Taiyuan spaceport on Jan. 14, 2023, sending 14 commercial satellites to orbit.

China launches 14 commercial satellites into orbit atop Long March 2D rocket (video)

By Andrew Jones published

A Long March 2D rocket lifted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in northern China on Saturday (Jan. 14), sending 14 commercial satellites to orbit.