Spaceflight Insider

News Archive / Tagged: CNSA

  • China lays out its roadmap for space transportation system

    Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 28th, 2017

    China has revealed a roadmap for its space transportation system outlining its ambitious goal to become a world-leading space power by 2045. The program, announced by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), envisions several milestones in the nation’s space industry within the next three decades, including the development of reusable launch vehicles and a nuclear-powered space shuttle.

  • China launches new Kaituozhe-2 rocket with Tiankun-1 satellite

    Curt GodwinMarch 3rd, 2017

    Just after sunrise at China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center (JSLC), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) successfully flew its first Kaituozhe-2 rocket.

  • China readying Kaituozhe-2A rocket for launch with experimental payload

    Curt GodwinMarch 2nd, 2017

    There are indications that the China National Space Administration (CNSA) is preparing to launch its Kaituozhe-2A (KT-2A) rocket on a mission to deliver an experimental satellite into orbit. The rocket may lift off as soon as March 3, 2017.

  • Chinese Long March 3B launches technology demonstrator

    Jason RhianJanuary 5th, 2017

    The China National Space Administration (CNSA) sent one of its Long March 3B launch vehicles aloft with the second Tongxin Jishu Shiyan (TJS) satellite to orbit.

  • China’s Long March 2D places 2 SuperView-1 satellites into wrong orbit

    Tomasz NowakowskiDecember 28th, 2016

    China’s Long March 2D rocket lifted off at 11:23 a.m. China Standard Time (03:23 GMT) on Dec. 28, 2016, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province. The booster carried with it two SuperView-1 satellites designed for Earth observation purposes.

  • Long March 2D launches China’s TanSat carbon-monitoring satellite

    Tomasz NowakowskiDecember 21st, 2016

    China has successfully launched its first mission dedicated to carbon dioxide detection and monitoring. The spacecraft, named TanSat (“Tan” means carbon in Chinese), lifted off atop a Long March 2D booster on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at 19:22 GMT (2:22 p.m. EST) from the Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, located in the Gobi Desert, Inner Mongolia.

  • Long March 3B sends Fengyun-4A weather satellite into orbit

    Tomasz NowakowskiDecember 10th, 2016

    China opened a busy final month of its 2016 launch manifest with the Dec. 10 liftoff of a Long March 3B booster carrying the Fengyun-4A weather satellite. The rocket leapt skyward at 11:11 a.m. EST (16:11 GMT) from the LA-3 launch pad at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China’s Sichuan province.

  • Long March 3C launches fourth Tianlian-1 communications satellite

    Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 22nd, 2016

    China has successfully launched on Tuesday, Nov. 22, a Long March 3C rocket carrying the country’s fourth Tianlian-1 data tracking and relay communications satellite. Liftoff took place at 11:24 p.m. Beijing time (15:24 GMT / 10:24 a.m. EST) from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

  • Shenzhou 11 crew returns to Earth after month in space

    Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 18th, 2016

    China’s Shenzhou 11 spacecraft successfully landed on Friday, Nov. 18, in Inner Mongolia with two taikonauts aboard, completing the country’s longest crewed mission to date. The re-entry module touched down at 1:59 p.m. local time (12:59 a.m. EST / 05:59 GMT).

  • Long March 11 launches pioneering X-ray pulsar navigation spacecraft

    Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 10th, 2016

    China successfully launched a Long March 11 rocket with a group of five satellites, including XPNAV-1, an experimental X-ray pulsar navigation spacecraft. Liftoff took place at 7:42 a.m. China Standard Time on Nov 10 (23:42 GMT / 6:42 p.m. EST on Nov. 9) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert.

  • China conducts maiden launch of powerful Long March 5 booster

    Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 3rd, 2016

    Thundering off from Launch Complex 1 (LC-1) at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island, China’s powerful Long March 5 rocket started its first test flight. The launch vehicle, carrying an experimental satellite, lifted off at 8:43 a.m. EDT (12:43 GMT) on Thursday, Nov. 3.

  • China to debut powerful next-generation Long March 5 launcher Thursday

    Tomasz NowakowskiNovember 1st, 2016

    China plans to introduce its new next-generation heavy-lift Long March 5 booster on Thursday, Nov. 3. It is expected to be a workhorse for the country’s space program. The launcher’s maiden flight will be carried out from the Launch Complex 1 (LC-1) at the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island.

  • Shenzhou 11 spacecraft successfully docks with Tiangong 2 space laboratory

    Tomasz NowakowskiOctober 18th, 2016

    A duo of Shenzhou 11 taikonauts entered the Tiangong 2 orbital laboratory after a flawless docking of the two spacecraft at 3:31 a.m. China Standard Time on Oct. 19 (3:31 p.m EDT / 19:31 GMT on Oct. 18). The two-person crew will spend 30 days aboard the space lab testing advanced life support systems and conducting various science experiments.

  • China launches two taikonauts into space aboard Shenzhou 11

    Tomasz NowakowskiOctober 16th, 2016

    China has successfully launched its sixth manned space mission, sending two taikonauts into orbit aboard the Shenzhou 11 spacecraft. The crewed vehicle was lifted atop a Long March 2F rocket at 7:30 a.m. local time on Oct. 17 (7:30 p.m. EDT / 23:30 GMT on Oct. 16) from Launch Area 4 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi Desert.

  • China set to launch Shenzhou 11 crewed mission

    Tomasz NowakowskiOctober 15th, 2016

    Under a shroud of secrecy, China is completing final steps toward the launch of its Shenzhou 11 spacecraft with two taikonauts on board. On Oct. 10, the country rolled out the Long March 2F rocket that will be used to send the crewed mission into space.