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China's 'space dream': A Long March to the Moon and beyond
The return to Earth of three astronauts on Saturday after six months at China's new space station marks a landmark step in the country's space ambitions.
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Chinese astronaut Wang Yaping (2nd R) waves as she is assisted by officials to leave the capsule of the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft after landing in China's Inner Mongolia on April 16, 2022. (AFP/STR)
T
he return to Earth of three astronauts on Saturday after six months at China's new space station marks a landmark step in the country's space ambitions, ending its longest crewed mission ever.
The world's second-largest economy has put billions into its military-run space programme, with hopes of eventually sending humans to the Moon.
China has come a long way in catching up with the United States and Russia, whose astronauts and cosmonauts have decades of experience in space exploration.
Here is a look at the country's space programme, and where it is headed:
Mao's vow
Soon after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, Chairman Mao Zedong pronounced: "We too will make satellites."
It took more than a decade, but in 1970, China launched its first satellite on a Long March rocket.
