People's Republic of China

Space program

Main article: Space program of China

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After the Sino-Soviet split, China started to develop its own indigenous nuclear deterrent and delivery systems. A natural outgrowth of this was a satellite launching program. This culminated in 1970 with the launching of Dong Fang Hong I, the first Chinese satellite. This made the PRC the fifth nation to independently launch a satellite.

Related Topics:
Sino-Soviet split - Dong Fang Hong I

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The country had plans for a manned space program as early as the 1970s, with "Project 714" and the intended Shuguang manned spacecraft. Because of a series of political and economic setbacks this project was cancelled.

Related Topics:
Project 714 - Shuguang

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In 1992 the current "Project 921" manned spaceflight program was authorised. On 19 November 1999, the unmanned Shenzhou 1 was launched, the first test flight of the program. After three more tests, Shenzhou 5 was launched on October 15, 2003, using a Long March 2F rocket and carrying Yang Liwei, making the PRC the third country to put a human being into space through its own endeavors. The second mission, Shenzhou 6 is scheduled to launch 13 October, 2005.

Related Topics:
Project 921 - 19 November - 1999 - Shenzhou 1 - Shenzhou 5 - October 15 - 2003 - Long March 2F rocket - Yang Liwei - Space - Shenzhou 6 - 13 October - 2005

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Some specialists regard the Shenzhou manned spacecraft as based on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, a design several decades old. However the Chinese designers are quick to point out that the Shenzhou spacecraft is not merely a copy of the Soyuz spacecraft. In fact, during the very early design phases for the Project Apollo Command/Service Module a similar design was also investigated.

Related Topics:
Shenzhou manned spacecraft - Soyuz spacecraft - Project Apollo - Command/Service Module

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The PRC's burgeoning program is considered to be cause for unreasonable concern in some quarters. A United States Congressional report following the 2003 launch said, "While one of the strongest immediate motivations for this program appears to be political prestige, China's efforts almost certainly will contribute to improved military space systems in the 2010 to 2020 timeframe." China is the third country capable of sending human beings into space. No country has yet become the fourth. A week after the launch, an editorial in The Times of India called it "'China's Late Creep Forward,' given that Beijing is attempting to showcase a four-decade-old technology". The status of space as a military frontier is complex and uncertain; by way of example, the United States Air Force's primary objective is to move into dominance of space, odd when placed into context against the slow obsolescence and phasing-out of the space shuttle.

Related Topics:
United States Congressional - The Times of India - United States Air Force - Space shuttle

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