Aeronautics
and Astronautics
China’s aeronautics and astronautics
industry was established in the 1950s. At Xi’an, Shanghai, Shenyang
and Chengdu, respectively, there are four large airplane manufacturing
bases, capable of producing civilian and military aircraft. The
“Yun 7” airliner produced by the Xi’an Aircraft Corporation has
become the major type used for medium and short domestic flights.
Since 1979, the China Aerospace Corporation has established trade,
economic and technical cooperation relationships with more than
70 countries and regions, one after another, in various forms. It
has exported airplanes, engines and airborne installations to several
countries, and manufactured airplanes and engine components for
foreign factories and business people. With a complete system
encompassing research, design, trial manufacture, testing and production,
China’s astronautics industry is capable of developing various types
of carrier rockets, and developing and launching all kinds of satellites.
Moreover, an aerospace instrumentation and command system has been
established. Now among the world's leaders insatellite research and
launching, China has mastered all kinds of technologies, including
satellite recovery, the launching of satellites with single carrier
rockets, satellite survey and control, and strong-propulsion carrier
rocket trussing. China is capable of
launching remote-sensing
satellites into near-earth orbit and earth-synchronous orbit, and
meteorological satellites into sun- synchronous or.bit.
It is also capable of providing satellite launching and monitoring
and control services for foreign countries. On November 20, 1999 the
first spacecraft, named “Shenzhou,” developed by China was launched
by a China-made carrier rocket, and returned to earth after fulfilling
space science experiments. According to statistics, between 1970 and
1999, China’s Long March series carrier rockets successfully launched
51 satellites (excluding those lanched by China for foreign countries).
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On
May 10, 1999, China's
"Long March IV-B" rocket
successfully carried the
"Fengyun I" meteorological
satellite and "Practice V" scientific experiment satellite
into
an 870-km-high orbit
stationary with the sun.
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