Since 2006, China has sent 79 spacecraft into orbit, said a government white paper titled China's Space Activities in 2011. The document, released by the State Council Information Office on December 29, 2011, elaborated China's progress in space exploration since 2006 as well as its main tasks in the five years to come. It is the Chinese Government's third white paper on China's space program.

Breakthroughs

2011 marked the 55th anniversary of China's space program. Since 2006, China has made rapid progress in its space industry. It has made breakthroughs in major space projects, including human space flight and lunar exploration. While space technology has been upgraded, China's space applications have generated increasing economic and social benefits. It has also made innovative achievements in space science.

Since 2006, China's Long March rockets have accomplished 67 successful launches, sending 79 spacecraft into planned orbits--74 satellites including four satellites developed by foreign countries, two lunar probes, two spaceships and a space lab.

China's Beidou satellite navigation system has been established in the Asia-Pacific region. It has recently begun to provide services to neighboring countries on a trial basis.

Since 2006, China has engaged in international exchanges and cooperation in space technology. It has exported communications satellites to Nigeria, Venezuela and Pakistan. It has also provided commercial launch services for Eutelsat Communications' W3C satellite.

Research Plans

In the next five years, China will strengthen the basic capacities of its space industry, accelerate research on cutting-edge technology, and continue to implement important space projects. The projects include human space flight, lunar exploration, the high-resolution Earth observation system, the satellite navigation and positioning system, and new-generation launch vehicles.

The Chinese Government has formulated policies and measures to ensure the completion of the goals and tasks. Priority will be given to satellites and satellite application. China will build a space infrastructure framework composed of Earth observation satellites, communications and broadcasting satellites and navigation and positioning satellites while developing the capacity to provide long-term, sustained and stable services. China will also develop new types of scientific satellites and technological experimental satellites.

"China will push forward human space flight projects and make new technological breakthroughs, creating a foundation for future space exploration," the white paper said. It will launch the Shenzhou-9 and Shenzhou-10 spaceships and achieve unmanned or manned rendezvous and docking with the in-orbit Tiangong-1 vehicle in 2012.

China will conduct studies on a preliminary plan for a human lunar landing. It will improve its ground facilities for receiving, processing, distributing and using satellite data, while developing calibration fields and other facilities. It will improve its space telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) network, build deep-space TT&C stations, develop advanced TT&C technologies, and enhance its TT&C capabilities in all respects to satisfy the needs for remote TT&C.

The Chinese Government holds that all countries enjoy equal rights to freely explore, develop and utilize outer space and its celestial bodies. China is willing to strengthen international exchanges and cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, peaceful utilization and common development.

China's space industry will face new opportunities for development in the next five years, the white paper said.

Benefits

China's investment in space ventures is in proportion with its economic development and has brought about remarkable economic and social benefits, said Zhang Wei, a spokesman of the China National Space Administration. Progress in the space industry is closely related to people's lives, he said.

Since China is a developing country, its top priority remains economic and social development, Zhang said at a press conference at the State Council Information Office. China puts resources into space activities based on its national conditions and the needs of economic and social development.

"China's input in space activities, which is commensurate with the country's economic development, has ensured the rapid and sound development of its space industry," he said. "Progress in China's space industry has delivered tangible economic and social benefits and is of great relevance to people's lives."