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In 1992, authorization and funding was given for Project 921 which was a plan to launch a manned spacecraft. This produced the successful Shenzhou 5, China's first manned mission in space. At least three more Shenzhou missions are planned, and will include multiple astronauts, space walks and docking.
In February 2004, China formally started the implementation phase of its unmanned Moon exploration project. According to Sun Laiyan , vice-administrator of the China National Space Administration, the project will involve three phases: orbiting the Moon; landing; and returning samples. The first phase will spend 1.4 billion renminbi to orbit a satellite around the Moon before 20072007 is a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). Predicted Events January 1 Target date for the admission of Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union. March 1 USS Baltimore to be deactivated. March 19 Partial solar eclipse June NASA's M. Phase two involves a lander before 20102010 is a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). See also: 2010: Odyssey Two Events January 15 Annular solar eclipse (The longest lasting annular eclipse of the 21st century. February 12 to February 28 2010 Winter Olympics scheduled in Va. Phase three involves collecting lunar soil samples before 2020Predictions relating to year 2020 British newspaper The Guardian published a series of magazines in September 2004 predicting life in 2020 Events Stipulated completion of restoration works to the Forbidden City in China Scheduled completion of the Nationa.
Initially the Chinese space program was organized under the People's Liberation ArmyAlternate meaning: Shining Path The People's Liberation Army (PLA; Traditional Chinese: , Simplified Chinese: , pinyin: Renmin Jiefang Jun), including strategic nuclear forces, an army, navy and air force, serves as the military of the People's Republic o, particularly the Secondary Artillery Corp . However, the Chinese space program was reorganized in the 1990s as part of a general reorganization of the Chinese defense industry to make it resemble Western defense procurement.
The agency responsible for the launches is the China National Space Administration, an agency within the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National DefenseThe Commission for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense or COSTIND is a civilian ministry within the State Council of the People's Republic of China, responsible for setting policy for defense procurement. The ministry was formed in 198?. The workhorse of the program is the Long March rocketThe Long March family of rockets (, Chang Zheng) is an expendable launch system designed and operated by the People's Republic of China. It is named after the Long March of Chinese communist history. The Shenzhou spacecraft is launched on the Long March r which is produced by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and satellites are produced by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation . The latter organizations are state-owned enterpriseA state-owned enterprise (SOE) is an enterprise, often a corporation, owned by a government. See also: Nationalization Privatization State-Owned Enterprises of New Zealand Crown corporations of Canada Public corporation VEB.s, however it is the intent of the PRC government that they not actively be state managed and that they behave much as private corporations would in the West.