Editing Chinese space program (section)

===Breakthroughs by Shenzhou and Chang'e (2000s)===
Since the beginning of 21st century, China has been experiencing rapid economic growth, which led to higher investment into space programs and multiple major achievements in the following decades. In November 2000, the Chinese government released its first white paper entitled ''China's Space Activities'', which described its goals in the next decade as:<ref>{{cite web |title=China's Space Activities |url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/2000/Nov/4288.htm |website=China.org.cn |publisher=The State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China |access-date=27 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040417152652/http://www.china.org.cn/english/2000/Nov/4288.htm |archive-date=17 April 2004 |date=22 November 2000}}</ref>
* To build up an earth observation system for long-term stable operation.
* To set up an independently operated satellite broadcasting and telecommunications system.
* To establish an independent satellite navigation and positioning system.
* To upgrade the overall level and capacity of China's launch vehicles.
* To realize manned spaceflight and establish an initially complete R&D and testing system for manned space projects.
* To establish a coordinated and complete national satellite remote-sensing application system.
* To develop space science and explore outer space.

[[File:Beidou-coverage.png|thumb|160px|Coverage of [[BeiDou#BeiDou-1|BeiDou-1]] service in early 2000s]]
The independent [[Satellite navigation|satellite navigation and positioning system]] mentioned by the white paper was ''[[Beidou]]'' ({{Zh|s=北斗卫星导航系统|labels=no}}). The development of Beidou dates back to 1983 when academician of the [[Chinese Academy of Sciences]] Chen Fangyun designed a primitive satellite navigation systems consisting of two satellites in the geostationary orbit. Sun Jiadong, the famous satellite expert of China, later proposed a "three-step" strategy to develop China's own satellite navigation system, whose service coverage expands from China to Asia then the globe. The two satellites of the "first step", namely BeiDou-1, were launched in October and December 2000.<ref name="beidou3steps">{{cite web |author1=央视新闻 |title=数"说北斗丨从起步到全球组网 北斗建设的"三步走" |url=http://www.beidou.gov.cn/yw/xwzx/202006/t20200615_20649.html |website=北斗卫星导航系统 |access-date=2022-10-19 |date=2020-06-15 |archive-date=2022-03-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312125848/http://www.beidou.gov.cn/yw/xwzx/202006/t20200615_20649.html |language=zh }}</ref> As an experimental system, Beidou-1 offered basic positioning, navigation and timing services to limited areas in and around China.<ref name="BeidouSystem">{{cite web |title=System |url=http://en.beidou.gov.cn/SYSTEMS/System/ |website=BeiDou Navigation Satellite System |access-date=27 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522040542/http://en.beidou.gov.cn/SYSTEMS/System/ |archive-date=22 May 2023}}</ref> After a few years of experiment, China started the construction of [[BeiDou#BeiDou-2|BeiDou-2]], a more advanced system to serve the [[Asia-Pacific]] region by launching the first two satellites in 2007 and 2009 respectively.<ref name="beidou20y">{{cite web |title=20年磨一剑——北斗导航系统的发展历程 |url=https://www.cdstm.cn/frontier/hthk/202103/t20210330_1045094.html |website=中国数字科技馆 |access-date=2022-10-19 |date=2021-03-30 |archive-date=2022-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022181318/https://www.cdstm.cn/frontier/hthk/202103/t20210330_1045094.html |language=zh }}</ref>

[[File:Yang Liwei.jpg|thumb|left|160px|The first Chinese astronaut [[Yang Liwei]]]]
[[File:Shenzhou-5 return capsule and space suit at NMC 02.jpg|thumb|alt=Return capsule and space suit used by Yang Liwei in Shenzhou 5 mission|Return capsule and space suit used by Yang Liwei in [[Shenzhou 5]] mission]]
Another major goal specified by the white paper was to realize crewed spaceflight. The China Manned Space Program continued its steady evolvement in the 21st century after its initial success. From January 2001 to January 2003, China conducted three uncrewed Shenzhou spacecraft test flights, validating all systems required by human spaceflight. Among these missions, the [[Shenzhou 4|Shenzhou-4]] launched on December 30, 2002, was the last uncrewed rehearsal of Shenzhou. It flew for 6 days and 18 hours and orbited around the Earth for 108 circles before returning on January 5, 2003.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shenzhou IV |url=http://en.cmse.gov.cn/missions/shenzhouiv/ |website=China Manned Space |access-date=28 May 2023}}</ref>

On October 15, 2003, the first Chinese astronaut Yang Liwei ({{Zh|s=杨利伟|labels=no}}) was launched aboard Shenzhou-5 ({{Zh|s=神舟五号|labels=no}}) spacecraft atop a Long March 2F rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The spacecraft was inserted into orbit ten minutes after launch, making Yang the first Chinese in space. After a flight of more than 21 hours and 14 orbits around the Earth, the spacecraft returned and landed safely in Inner Mongolia in the next morning, followed by Yang's walking out of the return capsule by himself.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shenzhou V |url=http://en.cmse.gov.cn/missions/shenzhouv/ |website=China Manned Space |access-date=28 May 2023}}</ref> The complete success of Shenzhou 5 mission was widely celebrated in China and received worldwide endorsements from different people and parties, including [[UN Secretary General]] [[Kofi Annan]].<ref>{{cite web |title=China Successfully Completes First Manned Space Flight |url=https://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-03zo.html |website=Space Daily |access-date=28 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226063438/https://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-03zo.html |archive-date=26 December 2022 |date=16 October 2003}}</ref> The mission, officially recognized by China as the second milestone of its space program after the launch of Dongfanghong-1, marked China's standing as the third country capable of completing independent [[human spaceflight]], ending the over 40-year long duopoly by the Soviet Union/Russia and the United States.<ref name="milestones">{{cite web |title=航天科技集团五院成功发射第400星的背后 |url=http://spacechina.com/n25/n2014789/n2014809/c3768063/content.html |website=[[China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation]] |publisher=中国航天报 |access-date=28 May 2023 |language=zh |date=22 March 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Shenzhou 7 EVA (1).png|thumb|alt=First spacewalk by Chinese astronaut in 2008|First [[spacewalk]] by Chinese astronaut in 2008]]
The China Manned Space Program did not stop its footsteps after its historic first crewed spaceflight. In 2005, two Chinese astronauts, [[Fei Junlong]] ({{Zh|s=费俊龙|labels=no}}) and [[Nie Haisheng]] ({{Zh|s=聂海胜|labels=no}}), safely completed China's first "multi-person and multi-day" spaceflight mission aboard [[Shenzhou-6]] ({{Zh|s=神舟六号|labels=no}}) between October 12 and 17.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shenzhou VI |url=http://en.cmse.gov.cn/missions/shenzhouvi/ |website=China Manned Space |access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref> On 25 September 2008, [[Shenzhou-7]] ({{Zh|s=神舟七号|labels=no}}) was launched into space with three astronauts, [[Zhai Zhigang]] ({{Zh|s=翟志刚|labels=no}}), [[Liu Boming (astronaut)|Liu Boming]] ({{Zh|s=刘伯明|labels=no}}) and [[Jing Haipeng]] ({{Zh|s=景海鹏|labels=no}}). During the flight, Zhai and Liu conducted China's first spacewalk in orbit.<ref>{{cite web |title=Shenzhou VII |url=http://en.cmse.gov.cn/missions/shenzhouvii/ |website=China Manned Space |access-date=25 July 2021}}</ref>

[[File:Moon map at NMC.jpg|thumb|alt=Moon map imaged by Chang'e 1|Moon map imaged by [[Chang'e-1]]]]
Around the same time, China began preparation for extraterrestrial exploration, starting with the Moon. The early research of Moon exploration of China dates back to 1994 when its necessity and feasibility were studied and discussed among Chinese scientists.<ref name="oyzy">{{cite web |author1=贺迎春 |author2=方经纶 |author3=张桂贵 |title=欧阳自远：把地质做到太阳系天体上去 |url=https://www.cas.cn/xzfc/202110/t20211025_4810959.shtml |website=中国科学院 |access-date=2022-10-22 |date=2021-10-25 |archive-date=2022-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022181314/https://www.cas.cn/xzfc/202110/t20211025_4810959.shtml |language=zh }}</ref> As a result, the white paper of 2000 enlisted the Moon as the primary target of China's deep space exploration within the decade. In January 2004, the year after China's first human spaceflight mission, the Chinese Moon orbiting program was formally approved and was later transformed into [[Chinese Lunar Exploration Program]] (CLEP,  {{Zh|s=中国探月工程|labels=no}}). Just like several other space programs of China, CLEP was divided into three phases, which were simplified as "Orbiting, Landing, Returning"  ({{Zh|s=“绕、落、回”|labels=no}}), all to be executed by robotic probes at the time of planning.<ref>{{cite web|title=工程简介|url=http://www.clep.org.cn/n487137/index.html|publisher=中国探月与深空探测网|access-date=20 May 2021|language=zh}}</ref>

On October 24, 2007, the first lunar orbiter [[Chang'e 1|''Chang'e-1'']] ({{Zh|s=嫦娥一号|labels=no}}) was successfully launched by a Long March 3A rocket, and was inserted into Moon orbit on November 7, becoming China's first artificial satellite of the Moon. It then performed a series of surveys and produced China's first lunar map. On March 1, 2009, Chang'e-1, which had been operating longer than its designed life span, performed a controlled hard landing on lunar surface, concluding the Chang'e-1 mission.<ref>{{cite web |title=迈出深空探测第一步 |url=http://zhuanti.spacechina.com/n1449297/n1449403/c1460360/content.html |website=[[China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation]] |access-date=2022-10-14 |date=2016-10-07 |language=zh }}</ref> Being China's first deep space exploration mission, Chang'e-1 was recognized by China as the third milestone of the Chinese space program and the admission ticket to the world club of deep space explorations.<ref name="milestones"/>

In others areas, despite the harsh sanction imposed by the United States since 1999, China still made some progress in terms of commercial launches within the first decade of the 21st century. In April 2005, China successfully conducted its first commercial launch since 1999 by launching the APStar 6 communications satellite manufactured by French company [[Alcatel-Lucent|Alcatel]] atop a Long March 3B rocket.<ref>{{cite web |title=2005年4月12日，长征三号乙运载火箭成功发射"亚太六号"卫星 |url=http://www.calt.com/n485/n841/n842/c6243/content.html |website=[[China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology]] |access-date=2022-10-22 |date=2016-08-12 |archive-date=2022-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022181324/http://www.calt.com/n485/n841/n842/c6243/content.html |language=zh }}</ref> In May 2007, China launched [[NigComSat-1]] satellite developed by [[China Academy of Space Technology]]. This was the first time China provided the full service from satellite manufacture to launch for international customers.<ref>{{cite web |title="双脚"迈进国际宇航市场 |url=http://zhuanti.spacechina.com/n1449297/n1449403/c1460338/content.html |website=[[China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation]] |access-date=2022-10-22 |date=2016-10-09 |archive-date=2022-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022181306/http://zhuanti.spacechina.com/n1449297/n1449403/c1460338/content.html |language=zh }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=驻尼日利亚经商参处 |title=尼日利亚媒体关于尼发射通讯卫星的有关报道 |url=http://nigeria.mofcom.gov.cn/article/slfw/200705/20070504707894.shtml |website=[[Ministry of Commerce (China)]] |access-date=2022-10-22 |date=2007-05-25 |archive-date=2022-10-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022181306/http://nigeria.mofcom.gov.cn/article/slfw/200705/20070504707894.shtml |language=zh }}</ref>
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