The Chinese government has approved the motion to celebrate a national day of space on April 24 every year starting from 2016, according to information on the official website of China's central government.
The year 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the beginning of China's spaceflight development. On April 24, 1970, China launched its first man-made earth satellite, Dongfanghong-1, making China the fifth country to launch a domestically produced satellite using domestically produced rockets. The other four countries were the Soviet Union, the U.S., France and Japan.
In the 60 years, China has developed two bombs and one satellite project, mastered manned space flight, launched a lunar exploration project and generally achieved rapid growth in space technology.
Liang Xiaohong, a former senior official from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation who is also in charge of research for China's carrier rocket, continuously advocated for a national space holiday during Two Sessions meetings over the last five years.
The National Day of Space Flight is not only a day for astronauts, it is also meant to get young people interested in space science and to pay respect to scientists. (People's Daily Online)
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