• Chang’E-7 to land on the Moon

    Shackleton Crater Ridge, Moon Surface

    Nov or Dec - CNSA CE-7 mission planned to land at Shackleton Crater Ridge near Moon South Pole region to survey environment and resources with Relay Satellite, Orbiter, Lander (Rashid-2 from UAE), Rover, Mini-Flying Probe; lander has national science payloads as well as 6 international instruments integrated: from Egypt, Bahrain, […]

  • NET 2027 — Launch Long March 5 / Xuntian Telescope

    Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China

    NET 2027 — CNSA to launch Long March 5 with Xuntian space telescope from Wenchang Space Launch Center, Hainan Island, China (19° N), China: Launch of Xuntian (Space Sentinel / Chinese Space Station Telescope ‘Touring the Heavens’) to LEO; will co-orbit with Tiangong Space Station, allowing it to dock periodically; 2-meter […]

  • 8 Years on the Moon: Chang’E-4 Lander

    Statio Tianhe (Milky Way Base), 45.44°S 177.59°E, Moon Surface

    Spacecraft reach 8 full years / enter 9th year on Moon far side, landed 2019 -the first farside landing ever.

  • 6 Years at Mars: Tianwen-1 Orbiter

    Mars Orbit

    China Tianwen-1 orbiter reaches 6 full years of operations in Mars orbit; Lander & Rover touched down ~3 months after this date at Utopia Planitia 25.1°N, 109.9°E; launched July 2020, reached orbit 2021.

  • Tianwen-2 Departs Kamo’oalewa (2016 HO3)

    Earth Trajectory

    China Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission planned to depart Kamo’oalewa (2016 HO3) today and return to Earth with least 100 grams of sample, to enter Earth atmosphere on Nov 29, 2027.

  • National Day of Space Flight

    China (Zhongguo)

    Commemorating the launch of China’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1 on April 24, 1970.

  • NET 2028 — Launch Long March 10 / Crewed Lunar Flyby

    Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China

    NET 2028 — Tentative date for China's first crewed lunar flyby using super-heavy lift Long March 10 rocket and crew spacecraft Mengzhou, while continuing to develop the crewed lander Lanyue that will rendezvous in lunar orbit.

  • NET 2028 — Launch Tianwen-3 Mars Sample Return Mission

    Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China

    NET 2028 — China expects to launch Tianwen-3 Mars Sample Return Mission to Mars by this date, to deliver samples to Earth by 2031; focus is on astrobiology.

  • 7 Years at Mars: Tianwen-1 Orbiter

    Mars Orbit

    China Tianwen-1 orbiter reaches 7 full years of operations in Mars orbit; Lander & Rover touched down ~3 months after this date at Utopia Planitia 25.1°N, 109.9°E; launched July 2020, reached orbit 2021.

  • National Day of Space Flight

    China (Zhongguo)

    Commemorating the launch of China’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1 on April 24, 1970.

  • NET Q3 2028 — Launch Long March 5 / Chang’e-8

    Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China

    NET Q3 2028 — Chang'E-8 planned to land at Moon South Pole with 10 international projects to conduct in-situ resource utilization experiments; mission includes lander, Pakistan SUPARCO rover, robots for supporting international lunar base buildout.

  • NET 2029 — Launch Long March 10 / Crewed Moon Landing

    Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China

    NET 2029 — Tentative date for China's crewed spaceflight program to have first of its multiple human Moon missions to the Moon South Pole region using 2 launches, one for crew spacecraft Mengzhou and one for lander Lanyue that will rendezvous in lunar orbit; developed by China Academy of Launch Vehicle […]

  • NET 2029 — Launch Solar Polar Orbit Observatory

    TBD

    NET 2029 — Expected launch of CNSA Solar Polar Orbit Observatory spacecraft to enter a high-inclination orbit around the Sun to observe its poles, via a gravity-assist maneuver at Jupiter.

  • NET 2029 — Launch Tianwen-3 to Jupiter

    Wenchang Space Launch Center, ~19°N, Hainan Island, China

    NET 2029 — China planning to launch its first probe to Jupiter this year with the Tianwen-3.

  • National Day of Space Flight

    China (Zhongguo)

    Commemorating the launch of China’s first satellite, Dongfanghong-1 on April 24, 1970.

  • Tianwen-2 to Rendezvous with Comet 311/P PanSTARRS

    Comet 311/P PanSTARRS Orbit

    China asteroid sample return mission, having returned at least 100 grams from Kamo’oalewa (2016 HO3), to rendezvous with and begin orbiting Comet 311/P PanSTARRS for 1 year.