China National Space Administration

History

CNSA is an agency created in 1993 when the Ministry of Aerospace Industry was split into CNSA and the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC). The former was to be responsible for policy, while the latter was to be responsible for execution. This arrangement proved somewhat unsatisfactory, as these two agencies were, in effect, one large agency, sharing both personnel and management.

As part of a massive restructuring in 1998, CASC was split into a number of smaller state-owned companies. The intention appeared to have been to create a system similar to that characteristic of Western defense procurement in which entities which are government agencies, setting operational policy, would then contract out their operational requirements to entities which were government-owned, but not government-managed.

Since the passage of the Wolf Amendment in 2011, NASA has been forced by Congress to implement a long-standing exclusion policy with CNSA ever since, though this has been periodically overcome.

In 2021, China began building the Tiangong space station, which consists of three modules designated for crew, cargo, and research. The construction was completed in late 2022, and there are plans to add an additional three modules.

In 2024, China announced that it will undertake 100 space missions, a significant increase from the 70 missions conducted in 2023. This is mostly satellites, testing, crew replacement, cargo, and more.

Function

CNSA was established as a government institution to develop and fulfill China's due international obligations, with the approval by the 8th National People's Congress of China (NPC). The 9th NPC assigned CNSA as an internal structure of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND). CNSA assumes the following main responsibilities: signing governmental agreements in the space area on behalf of organizations, inter-governmental scientific and technical exchanges; and also being in charge of the enforcement of national space policies and managing the national space science, technology and industry.

China has signed governmental space cooperation agreements with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, India, Italy, Pakistan, Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, and some other countries. Significant achievements have been scored in the bilateral and multilateral and technology exchanges and cooperation.

Administrators

The most recent administrator is Zhang Kejian. Wu Yanhua is vice-administrator and Tian Yulong is secretary general.

• April 1993: Liu Jiyuan
• April 1998: Luan Enjie
• 2004: Sun Laiyan
• July 2010: Chen Qiufa
• March 2013: Ma Xingrui
• December 2013: Xu Dazhe
• May 2017: Tang Dengjie
• May 2018: Zhang Kejian

Departments

There are four departments under the CNSA:

• Department of General Planning
• Department of System Engineering
• Department of Science, Technology and Quality Control
• Department of Foreign Affairs

CNSA's logo is a similar design to that of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. The arrow in the middle is similar to the Chinese character 人 which means 'human' or 'people', to state that humans are the center of all space exploration. The three concentric ellipses stand for three types of escape velocity (minimum speed needed to reach sustainable orbits, to escape the Earth system, and to escape the Solar System) which are milestones of space exploration. The second ring is drawn with a bold line, to state that China has passed the first stage of exploration (Earth system) and is undergoing the second stage exploration (within the Solar System). The 人 character stands above the three rings to emphasize humanity's capability to escape and explore. Olive branches were added to state that China's space exploration is peaceful in nature.

Launch facilities

• Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center
• Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center
• Xichang Satellite Launch Center
• Wenchang Space Launch Site

Notes

References

References

1. "Global governmental spending on space programs of leading countries 2022".
2. "Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2024".
3. Gibney, Elizabeth. (30 April 2019). "China plans mission to Earth's pet asteroid". [[Nature (journal).
4. "集团简介_中国航天科技集团有限公司".
5. "中国载人航天工程".
6. "Organization and Function". China National Space Administration.
7. "Resume of Administrator". China National Space Administration.
8. (2015-05-08). "Chénqiúfā Rèn Liáoníng Shěng Dài Shěng Zhǎng". People's Daily.
9. (2013-04-19). "Dr. Ma Xingrui Was Appointed as Administrator of China National Space Administration". China National Space Administration.
10. "Shìjué Shìbié Xìtǒng".
11. Includes both civilian and military space spending.