Timeline of China's Space Exploration

June 23, 2020: China successfully put into orbit its final BeiDou satellite, completing BDS-3, the third Beidou navigation satellite system.

July 23, 2020: China launches Tianwen-1 to Mars via a Long March-5 rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. This is the country’s first independent mission to another planet.

July 31, 2020: President Xi Jinping announces the opening of BDS-3 to provide satellite navigation services worldwide. This marks the successful conclusion of the three-step BDS strategy.

Nov. 24, 2020: China launches the Chang’e-5 probe with the aim of collecting lunar material to help scientists learn more about the moon’s origins.

Dec. 17, 2020: Chang’e 5 returns to Earth with samples from the moon.

April 29, 2021: In-orbit construction of China’s space station, “Tiangong”, kicks off as the core module of the station, Tianhe, is sent into space from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site. This commenced a series of key launch missions that aim to complete the construction of the Tiangong space station by the end of 2022.

May 15, 2021: The Tianwen-1 spacecraft lands on Mars with the Zhurong rover, completing China’s first landing on another planet.

June 17, 2021: Shenzhou-12, a manned spacecraft, is sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Site with astronauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming, and Tang Hongbo on board. The astronauts will work in the Tianhe core module for three months to help with the construction of the Tiangong space station. The marks the first of four crewed missions scheduled to help with the construction of Tiangong.

Oct. 14, 2021: China launches the first solar exploration satellite, Xihe, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The satellite, which will conduct the first space exploration of solar Hα spectral imaging, is expected to improve China’s research ability in solar exploration.

Oct. 16, 2021: Shenzhou-13, a manned spacecraft, is sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Site with astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping, and Ye Guangfu on board. The astronauts will work in the Tianhe core module for six months to help with the construction of the Tiangong space station.

June 5, 2022: Shenzhou-14, a manned spacecraft, is sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Site with astronauts Chen Dong, Liu Yang, and Cai Xuzhe on board. The astronauts will work in space for six months in the Tianhe core module and later the Wentian lab module after its launch, to help with the construction of the Tiangong space station.

July 24, 2022: Wentian, the first lab module of the Tiangong space station, launches into orbit and dockes with the Tianhe core module.

Oct. 31, 2022: Mengtian, the second lab module and final module of the Tiangong space station, launches and docks with the space station combination. With the Tianhe module at the center and the two lab modules on its sides, the formation of the space station’s basic T-shaped configuration will be complete, representing a key step toward the completion of Tiangong.

Nov. 29, 2022: The manned Shenzhou-15 mission takes off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, carrying three Chinese astronauts, Fei Junlong, Deng Qingming, and Zhang Lu toward the space station. After docking with Tiangong, this is the first time that six astronauts will be aboard the space station at once. The mission will wrap up the last stage of China’s space station construction, begin the permanent occupancy by astronauts of the station, and lead the station to enter its first stage of application and development.