Editing Chinese space program (section)

{{Short description|Space program of the People's Republic of China}}
{{About|the Chinese space program in general|the current Chinese space agency since 1993|China National Space Administration}}
{{About|(in part) the Chinese space program's civilian aspects in the 21st century|discussion on the current military aspects of the space program|People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2019}}

{{multiple image
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 | image1 = Long March 1 rocket.jpg
 | image2 = CNEWS Wentian.png
 | image3 = Yutu rover.jpg
 | image4 = ChangE-4 - PCAM.png
 | image5 = Zhurong-with-lander-selfie-flat.jpg
 | image6 = 神舟十四号航天员 Shenzhou 14 crew.jpg
 | image7 = Combined robotic arm of Tiangong.jpg
 | image8 = Shenzhou-15 spacewalk.jpg
 | footer = From left to right, top to bottom：[[Long March 1]] carrying [[Dong Fang Hong 1]], [[Long March 5B]] launching, [[Yutu (rover)|Yutu lunar rover]], [[Chang'e 4]] lander on the far side of the Moon, [[Zhurong rover]] on Mars, [[Shenzhou 14]] crew heading to space, robotic arms on [[Tiangong Space Station]], Chinese taikonaut performing [[spacewalk]].
}}{{History of science and technology in China}}

The '''space program of the People's Republic of China''' is about the activities in [[outer space]] conducted and directed by the [[China|People's Republic of China]]. The roots of the Chinese space program trace back to the 1950s, when, with the help of the [[Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance|newly allied]] [[Soviet Union]], China began development of its first [[ballistic missile]] and [[rocket]] programs in response to the perceived American (and, [[Sino-Soviet split|later]], Soviet) threats. Driven by the successes of Soviet [[Sputnik 1]] and American [[Explorer 1]] satellite launches in 1957 and 1958 respectively, China would launch its first satellite, [[Dong Fang Hong 1]] in April 1970 aboard a [[Long March 1]] rocket, making it the fifth nation to place a satellite in [[orbit]].

China has one of the most active space programs in the world. With space launch capability provided by the [[Long March rocket family]] and four spaceports ([[Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center|Jiuquan]], [[Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center|Taiyuan]], [[Xichang Satellite Launch Center|Xichang]], [[Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site|Wenchang]]) within its border, China conducts [[Timeline of spaceflight#Orbital launches by year|either the highest or the second highest number of orbital launches]] each year. It operates a satellite fleet consisting of a large number of communications, navigation, remote sensing and scientific research satellites.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2019 |title=How is China Advancing its Space Launch Capabilities? |url=https://chinapower.csis.org/china-space-launch/ |website=[[Center for Strategic and International Studies]] |department=China Power Project }}</ref> The scope of its activities has expanded from [[low Earth orbit]] to the [[Moon]] and [[Mars]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Myers |first=Steven Lee |date=2021-10-15 |title=The Moon, Mars and Beyond: China's Ambitious Plans in Space |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/article/china-mars-space.html |access-date=2023-09-13 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> China is one of the three countries, alongside the United States and Russia, with independent [[human spaceflight]] capability.

Currently, most of the space activities carried out by China are managed by the [[China National Space Administration]] (CNSA) and the [[People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force]], which directs the [[People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps|astronaut corps]] and the [[Chinese Deep Space Network]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kania |first1=Elsa B. |last2=Costello |first2=John |date=2021-02-23 |title=Seizing the commanding heights: the PLA Strategic Support Force in Chinese military power |journal=[[Journal of Strategic Studies]] |language=en |volume=44 |issue=2 |pages=218–264 |doi=10.1080/01402390.2020.1747444 |s2cid=219449682 |issn=0140-2390}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Pollpeter |first1=Kevin |title=The Creation of the PLA Strategic Support Force and Its Implications for Chinese Military Space Operations |last2=Chase |first2=Michael |last3=Heginbotham |first3=Eric |date=2017 |publisher=[[RAND Corporation]] |isbn=978-0-8330-9872-6 |language=en |doi=10.7249/rr2058 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Major programs include [[China Manned Space Program]], [[Beidou|BeiDou Navigation Satellite System]], [[Chinese Lunar Exploration Program]], [[Gaofen|Gaofen Observation]] and [[Planetary Exploration of China]]. In recent years, China has conducted several missions, including [[Chang'e 4|Chang'e-4]], [[Chang'e 5|Chang'e-5]], [[Chang'e 6|Chang’e-6]], [[Tianwen-1]], [[Tianwen-2]], and [[Tiangong space station]].