BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- China will carry out intensive space missions in 2026, including Tianwen-2's close approach and observation of its target asteroid, an official of the China National Space Administration (CNSA) said on Friday.
The country will also conduct crewed missions including Shenzhou-23, conduct flight verification tests of multiple reusable rockets, and promote high-quality development in the commercial space sector, said Liu Yunfeng, deputy director of the CNSA's system engineering department, at a press conference on the upcoming Space Day of China.
Looking back at the past year, China has made steady strides in space exploration. In 2025, the country conducted 92 space launch missions, a 35 percent increase compared with 2024, Liu said.
The Tianwen-2 probe was successfully launched and has entered the transfer orbit toward asteroid 2016HO3, embarking on China's first asteroid exploration and sample-return mission. Meanwhile, the Tianwen-1 mission continued global and regional surveys of Mars, with 3.5 terabytes of scientific data now publicly available to scientists worldwide.
In the crewed space sector, China successfully completed four launch missions and two return missions, including the country's first emergency launch. Preparations for the crewed lunar exploration program are progressing steadily, Liu said.
The country has also accelerated the large-scale application of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System across key industries and public consumption sectors. The successful launch of the Ziyuan-3 04 satellite further enhanced China's stereoscopic Earth observation capabilities.
The development of China's satellite internet system has accelerated across the board, with large-scale production lines for constellation deployment advancing rapidly, Liu said.
The Long March-2D carrier rocket achieved 100 consecutive successful launches, becoming the second type of Chinese launch vehicle to reach the 100-launch milestone. Meanwhile, the Zhuque-3 and Long March-12A reusable carrier rockets successfully completed their maiden flight tests.
Liu also outlined the events planned for the 11th Space Day of China, to be held around April 24 in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, which include the opening ceremony, space science exhibitions and cultural forums.
This year's China Space Conference will take place from April 23 to 25, featuring a main forum alongside over 20 academic sessions. A space science and technology exhibition will be held in Chengdu from April 24 to May 5 to showcase advancements in space technology, space science, space applications, and commercial aerospace.
Starting in 2016, April 24 has been the Space Day of China to mark the launch of its first satellite "Dongfanghong-1" into space on April 24, 1970. ■
