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September 9, 2006: China launched a seed-breeding satellite, "Shijian-8", carrying 215 kilograms of seeds of plants and fungus, the largest-ever such payload since 1987.
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October 12, 2005: China launched its second manned spacecraft Shenzhou VI, sending two astronauts into orbit. It is China's first multi-manned and multi-day space flight and the first human-participated space scientific experiment program.
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August 29, 2005: China sent its 22nd return experimental satellite onto the orbit with a Long March-2IV rocket carrier. The satellite will carry out a series of jobs on scientific research, land surveying, mapping and space-technological tests.
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August 2, 2005: launch of China's 21st return science and technology experimental satellite. It has been the 86th launching of the Long March series rockets, and it is the 44th successful space launch by China since October 1996.
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September 27, 2004: launch of China's 20th recoverable satellite for scientific and technological experiments.
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August 29, 2004: China launched a recoverable science experimental satellite into a preset orbit atop a Long March 2C carrier rocket. It is the 19th recoverable science experimental satellite China has launched.
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October 15, 2003: launch of "Long March 2 F" rocket that sent China's first astronaut Yang Liwei into space in "Shenzhou-5". The next day, after orbiting the earth 14 times, the Yang touched down in central Inner Mongolia. This breakthrough made China the third country in the world capable of independent manned space travel.
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December 30, 2002: launch of another unmanned spacecraft, Shenzhou-4.
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March 25, 2002: unmanned Shenzhou-3 sent into orbit and after circling the earth 108 times, the craft returned on April 1.
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January 10, 2001: launch of Shenzhou-2 experimental spacecraft (re-entry capsule returns to earth six days later in central Inner Mongolia with the results of scientific experiments).
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November 20, 1999: first launch of the experimental Shenzhou spacecraft (the re-entry module landed in central Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region the next day).
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By 1998, 33 satellites had been launched from Jiuquan with a 100 percent success rate. The site has launched more than 1,000 missiles and rockets.
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August 1987: launching services for European aerospace manufacturer Aerospatiale Matra -- China's first involvement in the international space industry.
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May 18, 1980: launch of the first Chinese long-distance carrier rocket.
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November 26, 1975: launch of China's first recoverable satellite.
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April 24, 1970: launch of the first Chinese-made earth satellite.
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October 27, 1966: the country's first guided nuclear missile test.
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November 5, 1960: launch of China's first surface-to-surface missile.
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