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China’s Space Exploration Timeline

1956: China opens its first Missile and Rocket Research Institute.

1960: China develops its first rocket, aided by Russian scientists. It is the first of a series of rockets, all named CZ (for changzheng, or "long march").

1964: Four albino rats, four white mice and 12 tubes of biological samples are put on a T-7A-S rocket, which reaches an altitude of 70 kilometres.

1970: On 24 April, China becomes the fifth country in the world to send a satellite into orbit, as the DFH-1 is lifted into space on board a Long March rocket. The Soviet Union launched the first-ever satellite, Sputnik, in 1957.

1984: A new launch site opens in Xichang, in south-western China’s Sichuan province.

1988: Another launch site opens at Taiyuan in north China.

1995: China’s space programme suffers a setback when a CZ-2E rocket explodes after take-off from Xichang, killing at least six people on the ground.

1996: China signs an agreement for the acquisition of Russian space technology.

1999: The Shenzhou spacecraft is launched on 20 November on a CZ-2F rocket and returns to Earth after 14 orbits. It carries several kilograms of biological samples.

2001: Shenzhou II blasts off on 9 January, carrying microbes and several small animals. The capsule returns to Earth on 16 January, touching down in the Inner Mongolia region.

2002: Shenzhou III is launched on 25 March in the presence of President Jiang Zemin. On 1 April, after orbiting the Earth 108 times, the craft returns. Shortly afterwards, Beijing announces plans for a space station. On 29 December, Shenzhou IV is sent into orbit, and returns to Earth six days later.

2003: On 15 October, Shenzhou V blasts into orbit, carrying China’s first man in space, Yang Liwei. He returns after 21 hours and 14 trips around the Earth.

2005: On 12 October Shenzhou VI blasts off for a five-day mission carrying two taikonauts.

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manned missions

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