China’s Space Program Aims to Break New Records
China’s Aerospace Plans to Carry Out Around 100 Launch Missions in 2024
China’s space program is expected to conduct around 100 launch missions throughout the year, aiming to set new records. The country’s first commercial space launch site will see its inaugural launch mission, while multiple satellite constellations will accelerate network construction. China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation plans to arrange nearly 70 spaceflight missions, launching over 290 spacecraft and executing a series of major engineering tasks.
On February 26, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation unveiled the “China Aerospace Technology Activities Blue Book (2023)” in Beijing, presenting an overview of the space missions for 2024. This information was gathered by journalists attending the event.
In 2024, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation plans to conduct nearly 70 spaceflight missions, launching over 290 spacecraft, and executing a series of major engineering tasks. This includes the maiden flights of the Long March 6 B carrier rocket and the Long March 12 carrier rocket. The space station will enter a normalized operational mode, achieving two cargo spacecraft, two manned spacecraft launch missions, and two return missions within the year. The progress of the lunar exploration phase four project will involve launching the Queqiao 2 relay satellite, the Chang’e 6 probe, accomplishing the world’s first sampling return mission from the lunar south pole. Additionally, various civilian satellites such as the Ocean Salinity Detection Satellite, Electromagnetic Monitoring Satellite 02, Sino-French astronomy satellite, and Practice 19 will be launched to meet the application needs of various industries. Efforts will also be sped up toward constructing the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s “new generation commercial remote sensing satellite system.”
In 2024, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation will maintain a high level of intensity in research and development tasks, advancing the manned lunar exploration project and deep space exploration projects comprehensively. This includes the continuous development of over 200 spacecraft such as the new generation near-Earth manned spacecraft, Chang’e 7, Tianwen 2, and geostationary orbit microwave detection satellites. Over 230 carrier rockets will be prepared for batch production, and multiple commercial space and satellite export contracts will be fulfilled.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation will also carry out multiple commercial launch missions, publicly releasing information on spare launch capacity, providing launch and payload opportunities to commercial users, and offering rapid, stable, and reliable “one-stop” launch services to various customers. In line with the national major strategies and economic and social development needs, the extension of the Beidou application into system integration and value-added services will be realized. Leveraging the integrated advantages of the group company and satellite communication, navigation, and remote sensing comprehensive applications, satellite applications will continue to be integrated into emerging fields to support the economic development of key regions.
Furthermore, the Blue Book reveals that China’s space program conducted 67 launch missions in 2023, ranking second in the world, developing and launching 221 spacecraft. The number of launches and spacecraft exceeded previous records in China, with the Long March series of carrier rockets successfully launching 47 times, surpassing a total of 500 launches, in addition to 20 launches of other commercial rockets.
On February 23, 2024, at 19:30, China successfully launched the Communication Technology Test Satellite XI into orbit using the Long March 5 Y7 carrier rocket at the Wenchang Space Launch Site. The satellite entered its designated orbit smoothly, marking a successful launch mission in the Year of the Dragon. (Photo by Du Xinxin, Xinhua News Agency)
Editor: Wen Qianting
Source: Xinhua News Agency
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