On April 24, China's Space Day, the nation unveiled its ambitious plans for 2024, aiming to set a new record with approximately 100 space launch missions. This milestone marks a significant leap in China's rapidly advancing space history.
The highlight of the year is the Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship launch, scheduled for Thursday. This mission is part of China's broader strategy to enhance its space capabilities and solidify its position as a global space leader.
Since selecting April 24 as Space Day in 2016 to commemorate the launch of its first satellite, Dongfanghong-1, China has consistently ramped up its space missions. Last year alone, China conducted 67 space launches, placing it second globally behind the United States, and successfully deployed 221 spacecraft into orbit.
The year 2024 sees the introduction of China's first commercial launch site in Wenchang, Hainan. This new facility is expected to bolster the country's commercial space activities, including satellite constellation deployments.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is at the forefront of these endeavors, planning nearly 70 launches and deploying over 290 spacecraft this year. Among these missions are the inaugural flights of the Long March-12, China's first single-core stage liquid launch vehicle, which boasts a carrying capacity of over 10 tonnes to near-Earth orbit.
Additionally, China's space agenda includes pioneering projects like the Queqiao-2 relay satellite and the historic Chang'e-6 lunar probe mission aimed at collecting samples from the moon's far side.
In an exciting development, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced new international partnerships for the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) This collaborative effort underscores China's commitment to fostering global partnerships in space exploration, aiming for sustained autonomous operations and innovative scientific research. As China continues to expand its space frontier, 2024 promises to be a landmark year, showcasing cutting-edge technology, international cooperation, and groundbreaking missions that will shape the future of space exploration.
Reference(s):
China's Space Day: Unveiling upcoming space missions in 2024
cgtn.com
