Tiangong-1 is a rendezvous and docking target spacecraft of China's manned space engineering project, mainly developed by China Academy of Space Technology.
China launched its first satellite Dong Fang Hong I (DFH I) to earth orbit on April 24, 1970, becoming the fifth country in the world to independently launch satellite.
Starting from 1956, China's space industry has realized great achievements. Here is a timetable of the country's space industry.
China's manned spaceflight program was officially approved in 1992. And its first unmanned experimental spacecraft, Shenzhou 1, lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on November 20, 1999.
Chang'e-1, China's first lunar probe, has ended its 16-month mission with a planned impact with the moon at 4:13 pm Beijing Time Sunday. Moon Exploration
Chinese scientists maneuvered the country's second lunar probe Chang'e-2 to an experimental orbit Tuesday evening, making preparations for taking pictures of the moon's Sinus Iridum, or Bay of Rainbows.
China successfully launched an orbiter into space at 5:44 am Beijing Time Wednesday, as a part of its indigenous satellite navigation and positioning network known as Beidou.
China will update and modify its lunar probes to develop a Mars probe, Ye Peijian, chief scientist of deep space exploration at the China Academy of Space Technology, told China Daily.