Comparison of Asian national space

programs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Asian space race)

Several Asian countries have space programs and are actively competing to achieve scientific
and technological advancements in space, a situation sometimes referred to as the Asian space
race in the popular media[1] as a reference to the earlier Space Race between the United States
and the Soviet Union. Like the previous space race, issues involved in the current push to space
include national security, which has spurred many countries to send artificial satellites as well as
humans into Earth orbit and beyond.[2] A number of Asian countries are seen as contenders in the
ongoing race to be the pre-eminent power in space.[3]

Contents
 1 Asian space powers
o 1.1 China
o 1.2 India
o 1.3 Japan
 2 Other minor players
o 2.1 Iran
o 2.2 Israel
o 2.3 North Korea
o 2.4 South Korea
o 2.5 Pakistan
o 2.6 Bangladesh
o 2.7 Other nations and regions
 3 Timeline of national firsts
o 3.1 Other achievements
 4 Comparison of key technologies
 5 Orbital Launch Frequency
 6 Solar System exploration
o 6.1 Moon race
 6.1.1 Probing the Moon
 6.1.2 Moon landings
o 6.2 Exploration of the major planets
 7 Asian space agencies and programs
 8 See also
 9 Notes and references
 10 External links

Asian space powers

See also: Timeline of first orbital launches by country

Of the ten countries that have independently successfully launched a satellite into orbit, six are
Asian: China, India, Iran, Israel, Japan and North Korea.

China's first manned spacecraft entered orbit in October 2003, making China the first Asian
nation to send a human into space.[4]

India is expected to demonstrate independent human spaceflight by 2020 and human landing on
the moon by 2030.,[5] and Iran and Japan have plans for independent manned spaceflights around
2020. China is also still predicting manned mission to the Earth moon by 2025 and to Mars by
2050.

While the achievements of space programs run by the main Asian space players (China, India,
and Japan) pale in comparison to the milestones set by the former Soviet Union and the United
States, some experts believe Asia may soon lead the world in space exploration.[6] China has
been the leader of Asia's space race since the beginning of the 21st century.[7] The first Chinese
manned spaceflight, in 2003, marked the beginning of a space race in the region. At the same
time, the existence of a space race in Asia is still debated due to the non-concurrence of space
milestone events like there was for the United States and the Soviet Union. Japan for example
was the first first power on Earth to get a sample return mission from an asteroid. Also the
United States was the first to do a comet sample return mission with its stardust mission also
during this time period. There was however some concurrence between China and India to see
which of those two could be the first to launch a probe to the Earth's moon back in the late 2000s
decade. China, for example, denies that there is an Asian space race.[8] In January 2007 China
became the first Asian military-space power to send an anti-satellite missile into orbit, to destroy
an aging Chinese Feng Yun 1C weather satellite in polar orbit. The resulting explosion sent a
wave of debris hurtling through space at more than 6 miles per second.[9][10] A month later,
Japan's space agency launched an experimental communications satellite designed to enable
super high-speed data transmission in remote areas.[9]

After successful achievement of geostationary technology, India's ISRO launched its first Moon
mission, Chandrayaan-1 in October 2008, which discovered ice water on the Moon.[11] India then
launched on 5 November 2013 its maiden interplanetary mission, the Mars Orbiter Mission. The
primary objective is to determine Mars' atmospheric composition and attempt to detect methane.
The spacecraft completed its journey on 24 September 2014 when it entered its intended orbit
around Mars, making India the first Asian country to successfully place a Mars orbiter and the
only country in history to do so in the first attempt. India became the fourth space agency in the
world to send a spacecraft to Mars, only behind USA, Russia, and the European Union.

In addition to increasing national pride, countries are commercially motivated to operate in

space. Commercial satellites are launched for communications, weather forecasting, and
atmospheric research. According to a report by the Space Frontier Foundation released in 2006,
the "space economy" is estimated to be worth about $180 billion, with more than 60% of space-
related economic activity coming from commercial goods and services.[2] China and India
propose the initiation of a commercial launch service.
China

Main article: Chinese space program

China has a space program with an independent human spaceflight capability. It has developed a
sizable family of successful Long March rockets. It has launched two lunar orbiters, Chang'e 1
and Chang'e 2. On 2 December 2013 China launched a modified Long March 3B rocket, China's
Chang'e 3 Moon lander and its rover Yutu toward the Moon.[12] It also has plans to land a rover
on the Moon to retrieve samples. In 2011, China embarked on a program to establish a manned
space station, starting with the launch of Tiangong 1. China attempted to send a Mars orbiter
(Yinghuo-1) in 2011 on a joint mission with Russia, which failed to leave Earth orbit.[13] China
has collaborative projects with Russia, ESA, and Brazil, and has launched commercial satellites
for other countries. Some analysts suggest that the Chinese space program is linked to the
nation's efforts at developing advanced military technology.[14]

China's advanced technology is the result of the integration of various related technological
experiences. Early Chinese satellites, such as the FSW series, have undergone many atmospheric
reentry tests. In the 1990s China had commercial launches, resulting in more launch experiences
and a high success rate after the 1990s. China has aimed to undertake scientific development in
fields like Solar System exploration. China's Shenzhou 7 spacecraft successfully performed an
EVA in September 2008. China's Shenzhou 9 spacecraft successfully performed a manned
docking in June 2012. Furthermore, China's Chang'e 2 explorer became the first object to reach
Sun-Earth Lagrangian point in August 2011.

India

Main article: Indian Space Research Organisation

India's interest in space travel began in the early 1960s, when scientists launched a small rocket
above Kerala.[15] Under Vikram Sarabhai, the program focused on the practical uses of space in
increasing the standard of living. Remote sensing and communications satellites were placed into
orbit.[16]

ISRO Logo
Just a few days after China said that it would send a human into orbit in the second half of 2003,
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee publicly urged his country's scientists to work
towards sending a man to the Moon.[17] It successfully sent its probe to the Moon in October
2008[18] and is planning its second Moon mission, Chandrayaan-2 for 2017.[19]

ISRO launched its Mars Orbiter Mission on November 5, 2013(informally called "Mangalyaan")
which successfully entered into the orbit around Mars on 24 September 2014. India is the first in
Asia and fourth in the world to perform a successful Mars mission. It is also the only one to do
so on the first attempt and that too at a record cost of $74 million.[20]

ISRO has demonstrated its re-entry technology and till date has launched as many as 57 foreign
satellites belonging to global customers from 20 countries including US, Germany, France,
Japan, Canada, U.K. All of these have been launched successfully by PSLVs so far,[21] gaining
significant expertise in space technologies. In 2008, India set a record by launching 10 satellites
simultaneously.[22] The PSLVs are also one of world's most reliable launch vehicles which
clocked its 30th successful mission in a row as of Sept,2015.

Recent reports indicate that human spaceflight will occur after 2017, on a GSLV-Mk III, as the
mission is not included in the government's 12th five-year plan (2012–2017).[23]

Japan

Main article: JAXA

The H-IIA F11 launch vehicle lifts off from Tanegashima Space Center in Japan

Japan has been cooperating with the United States on missile defence since 1999. North Korean
nuclear and Chinese military programs represent a serious issue for Japan's foreign relations.[24]
Japan is working on military and civilian space technologies, developing missile defence
systems, new generations of military spy satellites, and planning for manned stations on the
Moon.[25] Japan started to construct spy satellites after North Korea test fired a Taepodong
missile over Japan in 1998. The North Korean government claimed the missile was merely
launching a satellite to space, and accused Japan of causing an arms race.[26] The Japanese
constitution adopted after World War II limits military activities to defensive operations. On
May 2007 Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a bold review of the Japanese Constitution to
allow the country to take a larger role in global security and foster a revival of national pride.[27]
Japan has not yet developed its own manned spacecraft and does not have a program in place to
develop one. The Japanese space shuttle HOPE-X, to be launched by the conventional space
launcher H-II, was developed but the program was postponed and eventually cancelled. Then the
simpler manned capsule Fuji was proposed but not adopted. Pioneer projects of single-stage to
orbit, reusable launch vehicle horizontal takeoff and landing ASSTS and vertical takeoff and
landing Kankoh-maru were developed but have not been adopted. A more conservative new
(JAXA manned spacecraft) project is proposed to launch by 2025 as part of the Japanese plan to
send manned missions to the Moon. Shin'ya Matsuura is doubtful about the Japanese manned
Moon project, and suspects the project is a euphemism for participation in the American
Constellation program.[28] JAXA planned to send a humanoid robot (such as ASIMO) to the
Moon.[28][when?]

Other minor players

Iran

Main article: Iranian Space Agency

Iranian Simorgh (rocket) SLV

Iran has developed its own satellite launch vehicle, named the Safir SLV, based on the Shahab
series of IRBMs. On 2 February 2009, Iranian state television reported that Iran's first
domestically made satellite Omid (from the Persian ‫اﻣﯿﺪ‬, meaning "Hope") had been successfully
launched into low Earth orbit by a version of Iran's Safir rocket, the Safir-2.[29] The launch
coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution. Iran is also developing a new
launch vehicle Simorgh (rocket).

Israel

Main article: Israel Space Agency

Israel became the tenth country in the world to build its own satellite and launch it with its own
launcher on 19 September 1988. Israel launched its first satellite, Ofeq-1, using an Israeli-built
Shavit three-stage launch vehicle.[30] The launching was the high point of a process that began in
1983 with the establishment of the Israel Space Agency under the aegis of the Ministry of
Science. Space research by university-based scientists began in the 1960s, providing a ready-
made pool of experts for Israel's foray into space. Since then, local universities, research
institutes, and private industry, backed by the Israel Space Agency, have made progress in space
technology. The agency's role is to support "private and academic space projects, coordinate their
efforts, initiate and develop international relations and projects, head integrative projects
involving different bodies, and create public awareness for the importance of space
development."[31]

North Korea

Main article: Korean Committee of Space Technology

North Korea has many years of experience with rocket technology, which it has passed along to
Pakistan and other countries. On December 12, 2012, North Korea placed its first satellite in
orbit with the launch of Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2. On 12 March 2009 North Korea signed the
Outer Space Treaty and the Registration Convention,[32] after a previous declaration of
preparations for the launch of Kwangmyongsong-2. North Korea twice announced satellite
launches: Kwangmyŏngsŏng-1 on 31 August 1998 and Kwangmyŏngsŏng-2 on 5 April 2009.
Neither of these claims were confirmed by the rest of the world, but the United States and South
Korea believe there were tests of military ballistic missiles. The North Korean space agency is
the Korean Committee of Space Technology, which operates the Musudan-ri and Tongch'ang-
dong Space Launch Center rocket launching sites and has developed the Baekdusan-1 and Unha
(Baekdusan-2) space launchers and Kwangmyŏngsŏng satellites. In 2009 North Korea
announced several future space projects, including manned space flights and the development of
a manned partially reusable launch vehicle.[33]

South Korea

Main article: Korea Aerospace Research Institute

South Korea is a newer player in the Asian space race.[34] In August 2006 South Korea launched
its first military communications satellite, the Mugunghwa-5. The satellite was placed in
geosynchronous orbit and collects surveillance information about North Korea.[35] The South
Korean government is spending hundreds of millions of dollars in space technology and was due
to launch its first space launcher, the Korea Space Launch Vehicle, in 2008.[36][dated info] South
Korea's government justifies the cost for reasons of long-term commercial benefits and national
pride. South Korea has long seen North Korea's significantly longer missile range as a serious
threat to its national security. With the nation's first astronaut launched into space, Lee So-yeon,
South Korea gained confidence in entering the Asian space race. They are completing the
construction of Naro Space Center. Once it is operational,[when?] South Korea will be able to build
satellites and missiles with local technology.[37] South Korea is pursuing a space program that
could defend the peninsula while lessening their dependency on the United States.

Pakistan

Main article: Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission

Pakistan started pursuing space technology on 16 September 1961, when Pakistan's space
agency, SUPARCO was created, with renowned physicist Abdus Salam as its first administrator.
In its early days, SUPARCO researched on the development of solid-fuel sounding rockets with
assistance provided by the United States. On 7 June 1962, with the launch of the Rehbar-I (lit.
Teller of the Way) rocket, Pakistan became the third country in Asia and the tenth in the world to
successfully conduct the launch of an unmanned spacecraft. This rocket had been developed by a
team of scientists and engineers of the Pakistan Air Force, led by Air Commodore (Brigadier-
General) Władysław Józef Marian Turowicz in collaboration with NASA and was launched from
Sonmiani, Pakistan's first space launch facility. SUPARCO's unmanned space program
continued till 1972, with nearly 200 successful launches. SUPARCO's unmanned space program
suffered setbacks during the 1970s and the 1980s, delaying the development and launch of
Pakistan's first satellite, Badr-I till 1990 when it was launched from China. SUPARCO launched
Pakistan's second satellite, Badr-B in 2001, followed by Paksat-1R in 2011 which was contracted
and actually built and launched by China, was Pakistan's first communication satellite. Currently,
SUPARCO is involved in the development of the Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite which is
scheduled for launch in 2018, presumably from China.

Bangladesh

Main article: Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization

Bangladesh is one of the first Asian countries to operate their own communication satellite
purchased abroad, and is set to join Asian space powers with launch of highly capable
Bangabandhu-1 satellite. Bangladesh Space Agency intends to launch more satellites soon after
2020. Bangladesh's government has stressed that the country seeks an "entirely peaceful and
commercial" role in space.[38]

Other nations and regions

Indonesia was one of the first Asian countries to operate their own communication satellites
purchased abroad, and intends to join the Asian space powers by developing and using their own
small space launch vehicle Pengorbitan (RPS-420) in 2012–2014.[dated info][citation needed]

Other space players are Malaysia and Turkey, that announced multi-task space programs in 2006
and 2007.[citation needed] They intend to develop their own satellites and launchers in the near future,
and manned space facilities. As of 2012 Turkey was developing its own military satellite. The
first Göktürk satellite is planned to be launched in 2013.[dated info] The Turkish satellite is planned
to be capable of taking satellite images of greater than two meters per pixel resolution, thus
making Turkey the second nation in the world capable of such a feat, after the United States. [39]

Timeline of national firsts

Also see the section: Comparison of key technologies

– Indigenous manned – Manned – Lunar or Interplanetary – Other

missions missions missions missions
Date Nation Name Asian First World achievements
USSR
4 October Baikonur The first satellite,
(now under Satellite launch pad
1957 Cosmodrome Sputnik 1, was launched.
Kazakhstan)
The smallest satellite
11
launch vehicle (L-4S;
February Japan Osumi Satellite
9.4t weight, 1.4m
1970
diameter)
24
February Japan Taiyo Solar probe
1975
26 October
China FSW-0 Satellite recovery[40]
1975
FSW-0:
– 10m (1975)
FSW-1B:
26 October High resolution
China – 4m (1992)[41]
1975 imaging satellite
Beidou:
– 0.5m (till
2007)[42]
Geosynchronous
8 July 1976 Indonesia Palapa A1 satellite (launched by
NASA)
23
Geosynchronous
February Japan N-I
launch
1977
21
February Japan Hakucho Space observatory
1979
23 July Asian in space (Soyuz
Vietnam Phạm Tuân
1980 37)
20
Simultaneous satellite
September China FB-1
launch[43]
1981
The first interplanetary
8 January
Japan Sakigake Leaving Earth orbit launch by solid rocket
1985
(M-3SII)
19 March Reach lunar orbit
Japan Hagoromo
1990 (assumed)
7 April Commercial launch
China CZ-3
1990 (AsiaSat 1)
10 April Japan Hiten Intentional lunar The first aerobraking
 Date Nation Name Asian First World achievements
1993 impact test[44]
Asian woman in space
8 July 1994 Japan Chiaki Mukai
(STS-65)
19
November Japan Takao Doi Spacework (STS-87)
1997
28
November Japan ETS-VII Rendezvous docking
1997
Martian mission
3 July 1998 Japan Nozomi
(Failure)
30 October Satellite navigation
China Beidou
2000 system
10
Data relay satellite
September Japan Kodama[45]
(with ESA)
2002
First man in space
15 October
China Yang Liwei launched by an Asian
2003
space program
15 October
China Shenzhou 5 Manned spacecraft
2003
19
Soft-landed probe on
November Japan Hayabusa The first asteroid ascent
extraterrestrial object
2005
Highest in history with
11 January altitude 865 km, also the
China FY-1C ASAT test
2007 fastest with speed 18k
miles
23
The fastest internet
February Japan WINDS Internet satellite
satellite[46]
2008
Japanese Manned foundations in The world’s largest
11 March
Japan Experiment space (STS-123, STS- pressurized volume in
2008
Module 124, STS-127) space[47]
Indigenous Tracking &
Data Relay Satellite
25 April System
China Tianlian I
2008 First TDRS system to
support manned
missions
27 Zhai Zhigang
China Indigenous EVA
September (Shenzhou 7)
 Date Nation Name Asian First World achievements
2008
27
Manned spacecraft-
September China BanXing
launched satellite
2008
14 Discovered water on the
Moon Impact Probe designed for
November India Moon before
Probe Lunar impact
2008 impact.[48][49]
23 January Greenhouse gas
Japan GOSAT
2009 explorer[50]
20 May First Asian Venus
Japan Akatsuki
2010 mission
The first spacecraft to
21 May successfully demonstrate
Japan IKAROS Solar sail
2010 solar-sail technology in
interplanetary space
Lunar probe with
extended deep space
25 August
China Chang'e 2 missions (asteroid
2011
mission to 4179
Toutatis).
29
First Asian Space
September China Tiangong-1
station
2011
First manned space
18 June docking by an Asian
China Shenzhou 9
2012 country (with
Tiangong-1)
14 First lunar soft landing
Chang'e
December China and lunar rover by an
3/Yutu
2013 Asian country.
First Martian mission by
24 First successful Mars a country to succeed on
Mars Orbiter
September India mission by an Asian the first attempt. Third
Mission
2014 country country to do so after the
USSR and the USA.

Other achievements

 Most numerical multiple-satellite payload transfer capability – China (Long March

6, 20 satellites in one launch)
 First Asian country to collaborate on the International Space Station – Japan[citation
needed]
 Timeline of the heaviest satellite launch vehicle in Asia
First success LEO GTO / GEO Notes
First launch was 1966 (failed 4
11 Feb 1970 L-4S (26 kg)
times).
24 Apr 1970 CZ-1 (0.3 t) First launch failed in 1969.
Suborbital flight was performed in
1972.
26 Jul 1975
CZ-2A (LEO 2t) failed in
FB-1 (2.5 t) 1974.
16 Jul 1990 CZ-2E (LEO 9.2 t / GTO 3.5 t)[citation needed]
20 Aug 1997 CZ-3B (LEO 12 t / GTO 5.2 t)[citation needed]
H-IIA204 (LEO 15 t / GTO 5.8
18 Dec 2006
t)[citation needed]
H-IIB (LEO 19 t / GTO 8 t)[citation
10 Sep 2009 needed]

planned
CZ-5 (LEO 25 t / GTO 14 t)
(2015)[51]

Comparison of key technologies

Records of each country are listed by chronological order unless otherwise noted.

First independent launches (rocket/satellite)

 Japan - 1970 - Lambda-4S/Ōsumi

 China - 1970 - Long March 1/Dong Fang Hong I
 India - 1980 - SLV/Rohini D1
 Israel - 1988 - Shavit/Ofeq 1
 Iran - 2009 - Safir-1/Omid
 North Korea - 2012 - Unha-3/Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2

Payloads in orbit by number (active/total, first five as of 2015)[52]

 China - 134/239
 Japan - 71/197
 India - 35/71
 Saudi Arabia - 11/13
 Indonesia - 6/13

First indigenous low Earth orbit manned spaceflights

 China – 2003 – Shenzhou

 India - ~2021 – ISRO Orbital Vehicle[53] (planned)
 Iran – ~2021 – ISA manned spacecraft (planned)
  Japan – ~2022[54][55] – JAXA manned HTV (planned), HOPE-X (cancelled), Fuji
(cancelled)

Independent human spaceflights (total persons/person flights)

 China – 10/12[56]

First independent extravehicular activity

 China – 2008 – Shenzhou 7

First independent unmanned/manned Space rendezvous

 China – 2008/2009 - Shenzhou 8 & Tiangong 1/Shenzhou 9 & Tiangong 1

Multi-satellite simultaneous launches (by number)

 China – 20 satellites (Long March 6 F1, 2015)

 India – 10 satellites (PSLV-CA C9, 2008)[22][57]
 Japan – 8 satellites (H-IIA F15, 2009)[58]

First fight of space shuttles

Including shuttle-shaped hypersonic reentry vehicles reach to space.

 Japan – 1996[59] – HYFLEX under HOPE-X program (cancelled)

 China – 2001 – Shenlong, Project 921-3 (cancelled)
 India – ~2020 – AVATAR RLV (planned, approved by ISRO)

First space station module prototype

 China - 2011 - Tiangong 1

First orbiters to the Moon

 Japan – 1990 – Hiten/Hagoromo; 2007 - SELENE

 China – 2007 – Chang'e 1; 2010 - Chang'e 2; 2014 - Chang'e 5-T1
 India – 2008 – Chandrayaan-1

First intentional Moon landings

 Japan – 1993 – Hiten (controlled impact at end of its mission)

 India – 2008 – MIP (Moon impactor)
 China – 2009 – Chang'e 1 (controlled impact at end of its mission)

First Lunar soft landings/Lunar rovers

  China – 2013 – Chang'e 3/Yutu; ~2020 - Chang'e 4 (planned)
 Japan – ~2017 – Selene-2[60][61] (planned)
 India – ~2017/2018 – Chandrayaan-2 (planned)

Orbiters to Mars

 Japan – 1998 – Nozomi (failed)

 China – 2011 – Yinghuo-1[62] (failed); 2020s - Yinghuo-2 (planned)
 India – 2013 – Mangalyaan[63]

Orbiter to Venus

 Japan - 2010 - Akatsuki

Asteroid explorations

 Japan - 2003 - Sample return - Hayabusa; 2019 - Hayabusa 2 (planned)

 China - 2012 - Flyby - Chang'e 2

Heaviest satellite launch vehicle (in active, by capacity)

 Japan – H-IIB – LEO 19t / GTO 8t (2009 – active)[citation needed]

 China – CZ-3B/E – LEO 12t / GTO 5.5t (1996 – active)[citation needed]
 India – GSLV – LEO 5t / GTO 2.5t (2001 – active)
 Iran – Safir-1B – LEO 50 kg (2008 – active)

Capability of Launch Vehicle (in active, payload to GTO)

 Japan - H-IIB - 8,000 kg[citation needed]

 China - CZ-3B/E - 5,500 kg
 India - GSLV - 2,500 kg[citation needed]

Capability of Launch Vehicle (in active, payload to LEO)

 Japan - H-IIB - 16,500 kg[64]

 China - CZ-3B - 12,000 kg[65]
 India - GSLV - 5,000 kg
 Iran - Safir-1B - 50 kg

Cryogenic rocket engine

 China - YF-73 (1987-2000), YF-75 (1994-present), YF-77 (in development)

 India - CE-7.5 (2012–present), CE-20 (in development)

Solid-fuel rocket
  India - S-200, Burn time 130s, Isp (Vac.)：274.5s, Thrust (Vac.):5,150 kN.
 Japan - SRB-A, Burn time 100s, Isp (Vac.)：280s, Thrust (Vac.)：2,260 kN.
 Israel - Shavit's First Stage, Burn time 82s, Isp (Vac.)：280s, Thrust (Vac.)：
1650.2 kN.
 China - JL-1 (SLBM)
 China - JL-2 (SLBM)
 China - Kuaizhou
 China - Long March 11

Optical satellite imagery (by highest available resolution)

 Japan - 2013 - Optical 5V - 0.4 meter[66]

 Israel - 2010 - Ofeq 9 - 0.5 meter[67]
 China (civil use) - 2015 - GF-9 - 0.5 meter[68]
 South Korea - 2012 - KOMPSAT-3 - 0.7 meter[69]
 India - 2007 - Cartosat 2 - 0.8 meter[70]
 Iran - 2011 - Rasad-1 - 150 meters[71]

Radar satellite imagery (by resolution)

 China (civil use) - 2015 - YG-29 - 0.5 meter[72]

 Japan - 2013 - Radar 4 - less than 1 meter[73]
 Israel - 2008 - TechSAR 1[74] - 1 meter[75]
 India - 2012 - RISAT 1[76] - 1 meter[77][78]
 South Korea - 2013 - KOMPSat 5 - 1 meter[79]

Communications satellite technology

 India - 2005 - INSAT-4A[80][81] 3,460 kg, 24 transponders, Solar Array provide a

power of 5.9 kW.
 China - 2011 - NIGCOMSAT 1R[82] 5,150 kg, 28 transponders, Solar Array provide
a power of 10.5 kW.
 Japan - 2011 - ST-2[83] 5,090 kg, 51 transporters[84]

Resupply spacecraft (launch payload)

 Japan - 2009 - HTV (6,000 kg)

 China - ~2016 - Tianzhou (~6,500 kg) (planned)

Solar Sail spacecraft

 Japan - 2010 - IKAROS

Spacecraft powered by plasma thrusters

 Japan - 2003 - Hayabusa[citation needed]

  India - 2010 - GSAT-4[85] (Launch failure)
 China - 2012 - Shijian 9[86]

Other comparable technologies

Laun Atm
Multi- Rendez Satellit
ch of os- Data Solar
satellite Geostatio vous e Space
forei pher relay Martian Space
Nation simultan nary docking navigat observat
gn ic satelli missions Missio
eous launches s in ion ories
satell reent tes ns
launches orbit system
ite ry
2015/201
1990 6
CZ- (plann (planned)
1984
2E 2011 ed) Space
1981 Dong 1975 2011 2008
Ch 2000 Yinghuo- Solar Hard X-
(FB-1)[87] scien Fang FSW Tiangon Tianli
ina Beidou 1 Space Ray
3 Sats ce Hong 02 -0 g1 an I
(Failure) Telesc Modulati
satell (by CZ-3)
ope on
ite Telescop
e
1999
PSL
V
2017/1
1999 2001 2002 2013
KitSa 2007 2013 8
In (PSLV- GSAT [ Kalpa Mangalya 2015
t3 SRE- planned IRNSS [63] (plann
dia CA C2) (by 88] na- an Astrosat
1 ed)
3 Sats DLR GSLV) 1[89] (orbiter)
Aditya
-
Tubs
at
2002
1986 H- 1998
1977 1994 1997 2010 2002 1975
Ja (H-I IIA [91] Nozomi 1979
ETS-II ORE ETS- QZSS[9 Koda Taiyo[
pan H15F)[90] [92] 3] (orbiter) 94] Hakucho
(by N-I) X VII ma
3 Sats FedS (Failure)
at

? : Date is assumed
Only projects with under-development or above status have been listed

Orbital Launch Frequency

200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 200 201 201 201 201 201 201 201 To
1[95] 2[96] 3[97] 4[98] 5[99] 6[100] 7[101] 8[102] 9[103] 0[104] 1[105] 2[106] 3[107] 4[108] 5[109] 6[110] tal
 16
1 5 7 8 5 6 9 11 6 15 19 19 15 16 19 2
China 3
J
1 3 3 - 2 6 2 1 3 2 3 2 3 4 4 - 38
apan
I
2 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 2 3 3 2 4 5 5 1 39
ndia
I
- - - - - - - 1 1 - 1 2 1 - 1 - 7
ran
I
- 1 - 1 - - 1 - - 1 - - - 1 - - 5
srael

North - - - - - - - - 1 - - 2 - - - 1 4
Korea
S
outh - - - - - - - - 1 1 - - 1 - - - 3
Korea
Total 4 10 12 10 8 13 15 16 14 22 26 27 23 26 29 4

Solar System exploration

Solar System exploration and manned spaceflights are major space technologies in the public
eye. Since Sakigake, the first interplanetary probe in Asia, was launched in 1985, Japan has
completed the most planetary exploration, but other nations are catching up.

Moon race

The Moon is thought to be rich in Helium-3, which could one day be used in nuclear fusion
power plants to fuel future energy demands in Asia. All three main Asian space powers plan to
send men to the Moon in the distant future and have already sent lunar probes.

Probing the Moon

Japan was the first Asian country to launch a lunar probe. The Hiten (Japanese: "flying angel")
spacecraft (known before the launch as MUSES-A), built by the Institute of Space and
Astronautical Science of Japan, was launched on 24 January 1990. In many ways, the mission
did not go as was planned. Kaguya, the second Japanese lunar orbiter spacecraft, was launched
on 14 September 2007.

China launched its first lunar probe, Chang'e-1, on 24 October 2007 and successfully entered
lunar orbit on 5 November 2007.

India launched its first lunar probe, Chandrayaan-1, on 22 October 2008 and successfully entered
its final lunar orbit on 2 November 2008. The mission was considered a major success and the
probe detected water on the lunar surface.
Moon landings

Main article: Moon landing

The first confirmed Moon landing from Asia was Hiten's mission in 1993. An intentional hard
landing at the end of the mission, some pictures of the lunar surface were taken before
impact.[111] Hiten was not designed as a Moon lander and had few scientific instruments for lunar
exploration. The next Japanese Moon landing program was the LUNAR-A, developed from
1992. Although the LUNAR-A orbiter was cancelled, its penetrators are integrated into the
Russian Luna-Glob program, which was scheduled to launch in 2011. The penetrators are
"relatively" hard landers,[112] but they are not expected to be destroyed at impact.

The first Asian probe that was part of a lunar landing program was the Indian Moon Impact
Probe (MIP) released from Chandrayaan-1 in 2008. MIP was a hard lander and was designed to
move the ground under for research purposes. MIP was designed to be destroyed at impact. Its
instruments performed lunar observations to within 25 minutes before impact. The landing test
will be applied to future soft landings such as Chandrayaan-2, planned for 2016.

The Chinese Chang'e-1 spacecraft also achieved a systematic hard landing at the end of its
mission in 2009, when China became the sixth country to reach the lunar surface. One purpose of
the lander was to pre-test for future soft landings. A Chinese lunar soft lander is achieved with
the Chang'e-3 mission.

Exploration of the major planets

Japanese interplanetary probes have been mostly limited to Small Solar System bodies such as
comets and asteroids. JAXA's Nozomi probe was launched in 1998, but contact was lost with the
probe due to electrical failures before visiting the planet Mars. The second Japanese probe for the
planet Venus, Akatsuki, was launched in 2010. Akatsuki entered orbit around Venus on
December 7, 2015.

Chinese scientists expect that China will take 20 years to launch independent planetary
probes.[113] The Chinese manned Mars exploration program is planned for around 2050 by the
Chinese Academy of Sciences.[114]

India has successfully launched Mars Orbiter Mission on November 5, 2013. It reached Mars on
September 2014. India has become the only country to successfully insert a satellite into Martian
orbit in its maiden attempt; it also became the first Asian country to achieve this feat.

Asian space agencies and programs

 Bangladesh – Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO)
 People's Republic of China – China National Space Administration (CNSA)
(Chinese space program)
 India – Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
 Indonesia – National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN)
  Iran – Iranian Space Agency (ISA)
 Israel – Israeli Space Agency (ISA)
 Japan – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
 Malaysia – Malaysian National Space Agency (MNSA)
 North Korea – Korean Committee of Space Technology (KCST)
 Pakistan – Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
(SUPARCO)
 Philippines – Various
 South Korea – Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)
 Republic of China – National Space Organization (NSPO)
 Thailand – Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA)

See also
Human spaceflight portal

Robotics portal

Spaceflight portal

 Space Race

Notes and references

1.

 [1]
  "Shooting for the moon: The new space race". CNN. 2007-10-10.
  "Asia Nations Gaining Ground in Space Race".
  "China puts its first man in space". BBC News. 2003-10-15. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  "Planning Commission Okays ISRO Manned Space Flight Program".
  "Asia could win next 'Space Race', US scientists fear".
  Talmadge, Eric (2007-04-19). "Japan trying to catch China in Asia space race". The Seattle
Times.
  "China Denies There's an Asian Space Race". Fox News. 2007-11-01.
  "Concern over China's missile test". BBC News. 2007-01-19. Retrieved 2010-01-01. BBC
News
  "Shooting down satellite raises concerns about military space race".
  "Heated Space Race Under Way in Asia". ABC News
  Leonard David Space.com
  "Programming glitch, not radiation or satellites, doomed Phobos-Grunt". 7 February 2012.
Retrieved 26 February 2012.
  "China's man in space gets mixed reaction".
  "The dawn of a new space race?". BBC News. 2005-10-14. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  "India Limbers Up for Space Race As Prime Minister Asks for the Moon".
  "India 'on course' for the Moon". BBC News. 2003-04-04. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  "India and US to explore the Moon". BBC News. 2006-05-09. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  "What is Chandrayaan-2?".
  http://www.btvin.com/videos/watch/8916/india%E2%80%99s-maiden-mars-mission-
makes-history
  "ISRO launches ASTROSAT, 6 foreign satellites, including 4 from US".
  "PSLV puts 10 satellites in orbit". The Hindu. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 2013-02-28.
  "India not to undertake human space flight before 2017: ISRO". The Economic Times. 17
September 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  "North Korea nuclear and China military programmes a worry: Japan".
  "Japan Joins U.S. in Dangerous Space Race".
  "Japanese Satellites Work in Orbit Above Earth".
  "Abe calls for a 'bold review' of Japanese Constitution".
  浮上した日本の有人月探査計画（1） (in Japanese). Nikkei BP.
  "Iran launches satellite; U.S. expresses concern". Reuters. 2009-02-03.
  "Israel in Space Program". Aerospaceguide.net. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2003/6/Israel-
s%20Space%20Program
  "KCNA Report on DPRK's Accession to International Space Treaty and Convention".
KCNA. 2009-03-12. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
  "朝鲜宣布发展太空计划抗衡"西方强权"". Rodong Sinmun. 2009-02-08. Retrieved
February 26, 2009.
  "South Korea joins Asian space race".
  "Abe calls for a 'bold review' of Japanese Constitution".
  Sudworth, John (2007-11-12). "South Korea buys into space dream". BBC News. Retrieved
2010-01-01.
  "Boost for South Korea's space program".
  Sajjadur Rahman (2009-11-27). "Bangladesh plans to launch satellite". Thedailystar.net.
Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  "Turkey’s spy sat to zoom in on Israeli secrets".
  返回式卫星 (China's First Atmospheric Reentry Satellite)
  Harbin Institute of Technology -> FSW satellite series (Note: the definition of high
resolution (ground resolution) < 4.5m)
  Beidou navigation system first goes to public, with resolution 0.5m (from official Xinhua
News Agency), with photos
  中国首次“一箭三星”发射成功 (China's First One-Rocket-Three-Satellite Launch). Science
and Technology Daily
  "Solar System Exploration: Missions: By Target: Moon: Past: Hiten". NASA. Retrieved
2009-06-25.
  "JAXA – Data Relay Test Satellite "KODAMA"(DRTS)". JAXA. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  "World's Fastest Satellite Internet Connection to 45 cm User Terminal Using "KIZUNA"
(WINDS)". asia.spaceref.com. 2008-04-21. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  "Kibo: The Successful Launch and Start of Permanent Manned Space Operations." (PDF).
MHI. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  "MIP detected water on Moon way back in June: ISRO Chairman". The Hindu (Bangalore).
September 25, 2009. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  Bagla, Pallav (September 25, 2009). "Did India beat NASA to find water on moon?". NDTV
(Bangalore). Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  "Japan Launches World's First Greenhouse Gas Observing Satellite". ENS. 2009-01-23.
Retrieved 2009-06-27.
  我国孕育新一代运载火箭 20 年完成更新换代 (in Chinese). Xinhua News Agency. 2009-
06-02. Retrieved 2009-06-28.
  "SATCAT Boxscore (current as of 2015 September 19)". celestrak.com.
  Jones, Morris. "Reality Check for Indian Astronauts". Space Travel. Retrieved 16 November
2013.
  "Japan Wants Space Plane or Capsule by 2022".
  日の丸有人宇宙船 ２０３０年に初フライト ＨＴＶ改修で数百億円削減 (in
Japanese). MSN Sankei News. 2009-07-11. Retrieved 2009-07-10. – The title misprinted 2020 as
2030. There is "2020" in the text.
  "Astronauts and Cosmonauts flown in space (in alphabetical order)". spacefacts.de.
  PSLV Rocket Launches 10 Satellites
  JAXA Piggyback payload (GOSAT special Site) -
  "Hypersonic Flight Experiment "HYFLEX"". JAXA. Retrieved 2009-12-21.
  "JAXA シンポジウム「ロボットが拓く宇宙開発の NEXT STAGE」レポート 写真 26"
(in Japanese). Impress Watch. 2007-03-30. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  "Observation of Lunar Rotation by Future Landing Missions" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  "Запуск станции "Фобос-Грунт" к спутнику Марса отложен до 2011 года". РИА
Новости. 2009-09-21. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
  "Indian spacecraft soars on historic journey to Mars". Space Flight Now. 5 November 2013.
Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  "H-IIB Launch Vehicle". JAXA. Retrieved 2015-11-06.
  "LM-3A Series Launch Vehicle User's Manual - Issue 2011" (PDF). China Great Wall
Industries Corporation. Retrieved 2015-08-09.
  "IGS-Optical 5V".
  "OFEQ 9 - the New Israeli Spy Satellite".
  "高分专项推动商业遥感卫星技术发展" (in Chinese). Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  "KOMPSAT-3 (Korea Multi-Purpose Satellite-3) / Arirang-3".
  "Cartosat-2 Camera Tested".
  "Rasad-1: Iran Launches Its Second Satellite".
  "遥感卫星二十九号发射成功，长征四号火箭今年完美收官" (in Chinese). Retrieved
2015-11-27.
  "IGS-Radar 3, 4".
  "TECSAR 1 (TechSAR 1, Ofeq 8)".
  "TECSAR 1 Israel".
  "RISAT 1".
  http://carnegieendowment.org/2012/09/20/airpower-at-18-000-indian-air-force-in-kargil-
war/dvc4#
  "RISAT-1: A Fully Polarimetric C-band SAR Mission of ISRO".
  "KOMPSat 5 (Arirang 5)".
  "Insat 4A, 4B".
  "INSAT-4A".
  "NIGCOMSAT 1, 1R".
  "ST-2".
  "ST-2 Satellite details 2011 -022B NORAD 37606".
  "GSat 4 (HealthSat)".
  "SJ 9".
  泄露“一箭三星”秘密的秘件
  ISRO lines up SARAL for February, restored GSLV for April
  "> News Headlines > ISRO developed AWS – Agreement signed for production".
Indiantelevision.com. 2005-03-19. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
  JAXA H-I Launch Vehicle
  JAXA Engineering Test Satellite II "KIKU-2"(ETS-II)
  JAXA Engineering Test Satellite VII "KIKU-7"(ETS-VII)
  JAXA Launch Schedule
  JAXA Solar Observation TAIYO (SRATS)
  "Orbital Launches of 2001". Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  "Orbital Launches of 2002". Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  "Orbital Launches of 2003". Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  "Orbital Launches of 2004". Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  "Orbital Launches of 2005". Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  "Orbital Launches of 2006". Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  "Orbital Launches of 2007". Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  "Orbital Launches of 2008". Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  "Orbital Launches of 2009". Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  "Orbital Launches of 2010". Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  "Orbital Launches of 2011". Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  "Orbital Launches of 2012". Retrieved 2013-01-15.
  "Orbital Launches of 2013". Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  "Orbital Launches of 2014". Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  "Orbital Launches of 2015". Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  "Orbital Launches of 2016". Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  "ISAS news No.154" (PDF) (in Japanese).
  "Lunar exploration satellite "LUNAR-A"".
  中国自主探测火星还需 20 年 (in Chinese). 浙江日报. 2009-06-08. Retrieved 2009-06-09.

114.  2050 年頃に有人火星探査を実施＝中国科学院が計画を発表―中国 (in

Jananese). Recoed China. 2009-06-10. Retrieved 2009-06-12.
External links
 Japan's Evolving Space Program, Comparison of Japan's program with the rest of Asia
(September 2011)
 Asian Space Race Accelerates, Comparison of Indian, Chinese & Japanese space
programs in different aspects (November 2013)

[show]

 v
 t
 e

Spaceflight

[show]

 v
 t
 e

Spaceflight lists and timelines

Categories:

 Space programs by country

 Space organizations
 Technological races

Navigation menu
 Not logged in
 Talk
 Contributions
 Create account
 Log in

 Article
 Talk

 Read
 Edit
 View history

 Main page
 Contents
  Featured content
 Current events
 Random article
 Donate to Wikipedia
 Wikipedia store

Interaction

 Help
 About Wikipedia
 Community portal
 Recent changes
 Contact page

Tools

 What links here

 Related changes
 Upload file
 Special pages
 Permanent link
 Page information
 Wikidata item
 Cite this page

Print/export

 Create a book
 Download as PDF
 Printable version

Languages

 Italiano
 日本語
 Polski

Edit links

 This page was last modified on 10 February 2016, at 05:00.

 Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License;
additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy
Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-
profit organization.

 Privacy policy
 About Wikipedia
 Disclaimers
 Contact Wikipedia
 Developers
 Cookie statement
 Mobile view