China's Space Program
From a cancelled 1970s crewed capsule to a permanently occupied space station and a stated goal of landing astronauts on the Moon before 2030, China has built the world's newest independent human spaceflight capability -- and one now openly racing NASA's Artemis program back to the lunar surface.
Program Timeline
From a cancelled Cold War-era capsule to a continuously crewed space station and an active crewed lunar landing campaign.
Project 714 "Shuguang"
China's first attempt at crewed spaceflight. Approved in 1967, the program selected 19 air force pilots in March 1971 and aimed to fly two astronauts aboard the Shuguang spacecraft by 1973. Economic strain and Cultural Revolution-era politics led to its cancellation on May 13, 1972, without a single crewed or uncrewed test flight.
Key Facts
- China's first crewed spaceflight attempt
- Cancelled in 1972 with no flights
- 20-year gap before human spaceflight was revived
Project 921 Approved
China's leadership formally authorized and funded a new human spaceflight program in 1992, twenty years after Shuguang was shelved. Project 921 developed the Shenzhou spacecraft -- externally similar to Russia's Soyuz but independently engineered and larger -- through four uncrewed test flights before its first crewed mission.
Key Facts
- Revived China's human spaceflight ambitions
- Produced the Shenzhou spacecraft family
- Four uncrewed test flights (Shenzhou 1–4) preceded crewed flight
Shenzhou 5 -- First Crewed Flight
Yang Liwei became the first Chinese astronaut ("taikonaut") to reach space, orbiting Earth 14 times over 21 hours. The flight made China the third nation, after the Soviet Union and the United States, to independently launch a human into orbit.
Key Facts
- China's first crewed spaceflight
- Third nation with independent human spaceflight capability
- Yang Liwei became a national hero
Chang'e 3 and Chang'e 4 -- First Landings
Chang'e 3 landed in Mare Imbrium in December 2013 with the Yutu rover -- China's first lunar soft landing and the first by any nation since 1976. Chang'e 4 followed in January 2019 with Yutu-2, achieving the first-ever soft landing on the Moon's far side, relayed through the Queqiao satellite at the Earth-Moon L2 point.
Key Facts
- Chang'e 3: first Chinese lunar landing (2013)
- Chang'e 4: first landing on the lunar far side (2019)
- Required the Queqiao relay satellite for far-side communication
Chang'e 5 -- Sample Return
Chang'e 5 landed, drilled and scooped lunar material, then launched an ascent stage back to lunar orbit to transfer samples for return to Earth -- returning about 1,731 grams of material on December 16, 2020, the first lunar sample return by any nation since the Soviet Luna 24 mission in 1976.
Key Facts
- First lunar sample return since 1976
- ~1.73 kg of lunar material returned
- First automated rendezvous and docking in lunar orbit by China
Tianhe Core Module Launch
The Tianhe core module's launch began construction of the Tiangong space station. The Wentian and Mengtian laboratory modules followed in July and October 2022, completing the station's three-module T-shaped configuration.
Key Facts
- First module of the Tiangong space station
- Wentian module added July 2022
- Mengtian module added October 2022, completing the T-shape
Shenzhou 15 Handover -- Continuous Occupation Begins
The in-orbit handover between the Shenzhou 14 and Shenzhou 15 crews marked the start of Tiangong's permanent, continuously crewed presence -- China has kept at least three taikonauts aboard the station ever since, rotating roughly every six months.
Key Facts
- Tiangong's permanent crewed presence begins
- First in-orbit crew handover for China
- Six-month rotation cadence established
Chang'e 6 -- Far-Side Sample Return
Chang'e 6 landed in the South Pole-Aitken Basin on the Moon's far side and returned samples to Earth on June 25, 2024 -- the first-ever sample return from the lunar far side, again relying on a Queqiao relay satellite for communications.
Key Facts
- First-ever far-side lunar sample return
- Landed in the South Pole-Aitken Basin
- Samples now being studied by Chinese and international scientists
Shenzhou 20 Debris Strike
Suspected space debris cracked a window on the docked Shenzhou 20 capsule in early November 2025. As a precaution, the Shenzhou 20 crew returned to Earth aboard Shenzhou 21 on November 14, 2025, while the damaged Shenzhou 20 spacecraft was flown back uncrewed on January 19, 2026 -- a reminder of growing orbital debris risk around crewed stations.
Key Facts
- Debris cracked a Shenzhou 20 window while docked
- Crew returned safely aboard Shenzhou 21 instead
- Damaged capsule returned uncrewed two months later
Shenzhou 23 -- Year-Long Mission
Shenzhou 23 is China's first attempt at a year-long crewed stay aboard Tiangong, with its launch moved up from a planned November 2026 date after Shenzhou 22 flew early. The crew includes Lai Ka-ying, described as effectively the first person from Hong Kong to fly to space.
Key Facts
- China's first planned year-long crewed mission
- Includes the first Hong Kong-born crew member
- Currently aboard Tiangong as of late 2026
Chang'e 7 -- South Pole Mission
Chang'e 7 will send an orbiter, lander and a small hopping probe to search for water ice and other resources at the lunar south pole -- the same region NASA's Artemis III is targeting for its crewed landing. Chang'e 8, planned for around 2028, will follow up with in-situ resource utilization and 3D-printing technology demonstrations for a future lunar base.
Key Facts
- Targets the lunar south pole for resource prospecting
- Includes a mini hopping probe
- Precursor to Chang'e 8 ISRU demonstrations (~2028)
Crewed Lunar Landing Program
China's stated goal is a crewed Moon landing before 2030, using two Long March 10 launches per mission -- one carrying the crewed Mengzhou spacecraft, one carrying the Lanyue lander -- that rendezvous and dock in lunar orbit before two astronauts descend in Lanyue. Mengzhou's uncrewed debut (Mengzhou 1) is expected in late 2026, with crewed test flights targeted for 2027-2028.
Key Facts
- Stated target: crewed landing before 2030
- Two-launch architecture (Mengzhou + Lanyue)
- Long March 10 in active flight-test campaign
- Lanyue completed integrated landing/ascent tests in August 2025
Rockets & Spacecraft
China's current human spaceflight hardware, alongside the next-generation rocket, capsule and lander being flight-tested for the Moon.
Long March 2F
The dedicated human-rated rocket for Shenzhou missions since 2003. Launches from Jiuquan with an escape tower for crew safety.
Shenzhou Spacecraft
Three-module design (orbital, reentry, service) carrying up to 3 taikonauts to and from Tiangong. Flown continuously since 1999, crewed since 2003.
Long March 5 / 5B
China's most capable operational rocket family. The 5B variant launched all three Tiangong modules; the standard 5 launched Chang'e 5, Chang'e 6, and the Tianwen-1 Mars mission.
Long March 10
Built for the crewed lunar program. Two launches per mission carry Mengzhou and Lanyue separately to lunar orbit, where they dock before descent.
Mengzhou Spacecraft
Shenzhou's planned successor. A near-Earth variant will eventually service Tiangong; a lunar variant, hardened for high-speed reentry, will carry crew to and from the Moon.
Lanyue Lunar Lander
Carries two astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back. Completed integrated landing and ascent testing in August 2025; targets a landing before 2030.
See full specs on Long March 5 or browse the full rocket comparison.
The Organizations Behind It
Unlike NASA's contractor model, China's program runs almost entirely through two state-owned conglomerates and a civil oversight agency.
CASC
China's main state space contractor -- builds the Long March rockets, Shenzhou/Mengzhou spacecraft, and Tiangong modules
CNSA
China National Space Administration -- civil space agency overseeing policy and international cooperation
CASIC
China's other major state aerospace conglomerate -- missiles, defense systems and the Kuaizhou launch vehicle family
A Second Moon Race?
China has stated a goal of landing astronauts on the Moon before 2030, using the Long March 10 rocket, Mengzhou spacecraft, and Lanyue lander. NASA's own Artemis III is targeting a crewed lunar south pole landing no earlier than mid-2027 -- both programs are aiming at the same general region of the Moon, and both have slipped their target dates before, so neither timeline should be read as fixed.
The two efforts also come with competing coalitions rather than a single race between two countries. The U.S.-led Artemis Accords have more than 40 signatory nations built around Outer Space Treaty principles of transparency and interoperability. China and Russia lead a parallel effort, the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), which has attracted a smaller but growing list of partner countries including Pakistan, Belarus, Egypt, South Africa, and others, with construction envisioned from the late 2020s and a permanently crewed base contemplated for the 2030s.
Beyond the Moon, China is also the only nation besides the United States and the (former Soviet Union/Russia) to have independently launched humans into orbit and to currently operate a crewed space station -- Tiangong runs in parallel to the U.S.-led International Space Station, which is expected to be retired later this decade. Whether either nation "wins" a crewed lunar landing first is ultimately a matter of engineering schedules holding -- something neither program has yet demonstrated on its stated timeline.
mid-2027 -- both dates
have moved before
Related Content
Compare China's program with NASA's Moon efforts, and explore the broader history of spaceflight.
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The competing (and partly parallel) U.S. effort to put astronauts back on the Moon, this time to stay.
NASA's Apollo Program
The first Moon race, 1961-1972 -- the historical template every modern lunar program is measured against.
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Compare Tiangong with the ISS and the commercial stations aiming to succeed it.
China Space Program Guide
Our deep-dive article on Tiangong, the Chang'e series, and what comes next for CNSA.
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Every Chinese space company and agency in our directory, plus market data for the country.
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Explore 1,700+ companies building the future of spaceflight, including China's state and commercial space sector.
Want the full deep dive?
Read our comprehensive China Space Program Guide for Tiangong module specs, the complete Chang'e series, and CNSA's future plans.