This aerial photo taken on May 12, 2023 shows a construction site of the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang City, south China’s Hainan Province. Photo: Xinhua
China plans to carry out about 100 space launches in 2024, including various maiden launches, missions to Earth's orbit and the Moon, setting a record for the country's space industry, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) said on Monday (26 February).
"China's space industry plans to carry out about 100 space launches in 2024, expecting to set a new record," CASC said in a statement.
CASC said it would carry out 70 of the 100 planned missions and launch 290 spacecraft.
In 2024, China plans to launch the first Long March 6C and Long March 12 carrier rockets, sending the Tiangong space station into orbit, as well as two cargo spacecraft and two manned spacecraft.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program will continue. China plans to launch a Queqiao satellite and a Chang'e 6 robotic lunar rover to carry out the first sample return mission from the dark side of the Moon in history.
In 2023, China carried out 67 space launches, second in the world, and launched 221 devices into space. On both counts, China set records last year.
Messenger/Howlader
