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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 

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China's Tianwen-1 Mars probe is seen by a tiny camera ejected from the spacecraft in a photo captured 15 million miles from Earth.

China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft will reach Mars orbit on February 10

By Andrew Jones

China's Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter and rover are speeding toward the Red Planet and preparing to arrive on Feb. 10, according to the China National Space Administration.

In 2020, scientists announced the potential discovery of phosphine in in the clouds of Venus, sparking speculation on its implications for life.

The 10 biggest space discoveries and stories of 2020

By Doris Elin Urrutia

This year saw a new age of sample-retrieval missions, protests against a telescope, an incredible visit from a dazzling comet and the ''great conjunction'' of Saturn and Jupiter.

NASA's Crew-1 astronauts pose for a photo as they prepare to head to Pad 39A for their SpaceX Crew Dragon launch on Nov. 15, 2020. They are (from left): NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins and Soichi Noguchi with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

The 10 biggest spaceflight stories of 2020

By Elizabeth Howell

While 2020 was a difficult year around the world with the challenges that have come with the coronavirus pandemic, space continued to reach new heights.

The Chang'e 5 return capsule at its landing site in Inner Mongolia, China, on Dec. 17, 2020.

China says it's open to sharing moon rocks as Chang'e 5 samples head to the lab

By Andrew Jones

China has recovered the lunar samples collected by the daring Chang'e 5 mission and now work is underway to get the materials to the laboratory for science — and for sharing.

A Chinese Long March 8 rocket launches on its debut mission from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on Hainan Island on Dec. 21, 2020.

China launches Long March 8 rocket on debut flight, plans for reusable booster

By Elizabeth Howell

China successfully launched the first Long March 8 rocket late Monday (Dec. 21), kicking off a line of boosters that will eventually be reusable.

China's Chang'e 5 sample-return capsule is seen back on Earth after delivering the first new samples of moon rocks in 44 year. The landing occurred at1:59 a.m. Dec. 17 Beijing time in the Siziwang Banner of Inner Mongolia. It was 12:59 p.m. EST (1759 GMT) and landing.

China's Chang'e 5 moon samples are headed to the lab

By Leonard David

The Chang'e 5 return capsule carrying lunar samples is headed for a Beijing laboratory for opening, with a research team eagerly awaiting their chance to start studying the fresh moon specimens.

China's Chang'e 5 sample-return capsule is seen back on Earth after delivering the first new samples of moon rocks in 44 years. The landing occurred at 1:59 a.m. Dec. 17 Beijing time (12:59 p.m. EST and 1759 GMT on Dec. 16) in the Siziwang Banner region of Inner Mongolia.

China's Chang'e 5 capsule lands on Earth with the 1st new moon samples in 44 years

By Mike Wall

China's Chang'e 5 moon sample-return capsule landed in Inner Mongolia on Wednesday (Dec. 16), returning lunar rocks for the first time since 1976.

A Chinese Long March 11 carrier rocket carrying two satellites for the detection of gravitational waves blasts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on December 10, 2020 in Xichang, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province of China.

Chinese Long March 11 rocket launches satellites to hunt gravitational waves

By Elizabeth Howell

China has successfully launched a pair of satellites into space to learn more about gravitational waves, or echoes in space-time from huge mergers or cosmic events.

An artist's illustration of China's Chang'e 5 moon sample-return ascent vehicle lifting off from the lunar surface.

China's Chang'e 5 moon lander is no more after successfully snagging lunar rocks

By Andrew Jones

China's Chang'e 5 lander touched down on the moon and collected the first lunar samples in nearly 50 years, but now the lights have gone out.

The Chang'e 5 spacecraft represented on screens at mission control in Beijing.

China's moon rocks are officially on their way to Earth as Chang'e 5 probe leaves lunar orbit

By Andrew Jones

China's Chang'e 5 orbiter is heading home on the final leg of its mission to collect fresh lunar samples from the moon.

An artist's illustration of China's Chang'e 5 moon sample-return spacecraft.

China's Chang'e 5 mission: Sampling the lunar surface

By Adam Mann

The historic Chang'e 5 mission is China's first attempt to bring samples back from the moon.

The Gaofen 14 Earth observation satellite launched to Earth at 10:58 p.m. EST Dec. 5 (11:58 a.m. local time and 0358 GMT on Sunday, Dec. 6).

China launches yet another high-resolution Earth observation satellite, drops rocket debris

By Andrew Jones

As Chang’e 5 continues to make headlines for its exploits on and around the moon, China continues to launch rockets back on Earth.

Chang'e lander

NASA's spacecraft spots China's Chang'e 5 lander on the moon

By Andrew Jones

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter captured an image of China's Chang'e 5 lander on the moon just hours after its historic landing.

China's Chang'e 5 moon lander deployed a small fabric flag on Dec. 3, 2020.

China plants its flag on the moon with Chang'e 5 lunar lander (photo, video)

By Leonard David

It's a fabric first for China.

The approaching ascent vehicle and a crescent Earth viewed from the Chang'e 5 orbiter.

China's Chang'e 5 aces lunar orbit docking needed to bring moon samples home

By Andrew Jones

Two Chinese spacecraft have successfully carried out a docking in lunar orbit to bring home the first samples from the moon in over 40 years.

China's Chang'e 5 moon sample-return ascent vehicle lifts off from the lunar surface in this view captured by the lander itself at Mons Rumker in the Ocean of Storms on Dec. 3, 2020.

China's Chang'e 5 probe lifts off from moon carrying lunar samples

By Andrew Jones

China has launched a small spacecraft from the surface of the moon in the critical next step in the ambitious Chang'e 5 mission to bring lunar samples to Earth.

China's Chang'e 5 moon lander snapped this image shortly after touching down on the moon on Dec. 1, 2020.

Amazing panorama shows China's Chang'e 5 landing site on the moon (photos)

By Andrew Jones

China's Chang'e 5 lander has returned its first panorama from its landing site on the moon.

China's Chang'e 5 moon lander captures these views of its descent to the lunar surface on Dec. 1, 2020.

Watch China's Chang'e 5 spacecraft land on the moon in this amazing video

By Andrew Jones

A spectacular video from China's Chang'e 5 lander reveals its successful touchdown on the moon as it softly set down to collect the first lunar samples in 44 years.

An artist's illustration of China's Chang'e 5 moon sample-return spacecraft on the lunar surface.

China's Chang'e 5 lands on the moon to collect the 1st fresh lunar samples in decades

By Mike Wall

China has landed on the moon again — and this time the country plans to bring home some souvenirs.

China's Chang'e 5 moon lander and ascent vehicle separates from its orbiter/return vehicle early on Nov. 30, 2020 Beijing Time ahead of a landing in the moon's Ocean of Storms for a lunar sample-return mission.

China's Chang'e 5 poised for historic moon landing to collect lunar samples

By Meghan Bartels

The Chang'e 5 moon lander and orbiter have parted ways in lunar orbit … for now.