Comparison of Asian national space programs
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 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. A number of Asian countries are seen as contenders in the ongoing race to be the pre-eminent power in space.
Asian space agencies and programs
Asian space powers
Of the ten countries that have independently successfully launched a satellite into orbit, six countries: Japan, China, India, Israel, Iran and North Korea, are Asian. Of six major space powers in world which have full launch capabilities to transfer heavy payloads in geosynchronous orbits, can launch multiple and recoverable satellites, deploy cryogenic engines and operate extraterrestrial exploration missions, three are Asian.China's first manned spacecraft entered orbit in October 2003, making China the first Asian nation to send a human into space. India expects to send Vyomnauts to space in the Gaganyaan capsule by 2022.
While the achievements of space programs run by the main Asian space players 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. Each Asian spacefaring country has its own dominance in specific aerospace aspect. For instance, the first Chinese manned spaceflight, in 2003, marked the beginning of a space race in the region and India is the first Asian country to successfully launch a Mars orbiter. 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 power on Earth to get a sample return mission from an asteroid. 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.
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. India did the same in 2019 by shooting down its own satellite Microsat-R. The operation was named Mission Shakti A month later, Japan's space agency launched an experimental communications satellite designed to enable super high-speed data transmission in remote areas.
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. 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. ISRO became the fourth space agency in the world to send a spacecraft to Mars, only behind NASA, ROSCOSMOS, and ESA. China & India have tested their anti- satellite weapons respectively in 2007 and 2019, making them only countries after US & USSR/Russia to possess ASAT weapons.
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. China and India propose the initiation of a commercial launch service.
China
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, with Chang'e 3 Moon lander and its rover Yutu on-board toward the Moon and successfully performed soft landing and rover operations, becoming the third country to do so. It also has plans to retrieve samples by late 2017. In 2011, China embarked on a program to establish a manned space station, starting with the launch of Tiangong 1 and followed by Tiangong 2 in 2016. China attempted to send a Mars orbiter in 2011 on a joint mission with Russia, which failed to leave Earth orbit. Nevertheless, the 2020 Chinese Mars Mission with an orbiter, a lander and a rover has been approved by the government and is aiming a launch date in the year 2020. 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.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 and also the first probe to explore both Moon and asteroid by making a flyby of the asteroid 4179 Toutatis. China has launched DAMPE, the most capable dark matter explorer to date in 2015, and world's first quantum communication satellite QUESS in 2016.
India
India's interest in space travel began in the early 1960s, when scientists launched a Nike-Apache rocket from TERLS, Kerala. 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.The first Indian to travel in space was Rakesh Sharma, who flew aboard Soyuz T-11, launched April 2, 1984, from erstwhile USSR.
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 Bihari Vajpayee publicly urged his country's scientists to work towards sending a man to the Moon. India successfully sent its first probe to the Moon known as Chandrayaan-1 in October 2008 which helped in finding the presence of water in the Moon and has already launched its second Moon mission, Chandrayaan-2 to the south pole of the Moon.
ISRO launched its Mars Orbiter Mission on November 5, 2013 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 at a record low cost of $74 million.
ISRO has demonstrated its re-entry technology and till date has launched as many as 175 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, gaining significant expertise in space technologies. In June 2016, India set a record by launching 20 satellites simultaneously. The PSLVs are also one of world's most reliable launch vehicles which clocked its 35th successful mission in a row as of February 2017, thus having success rate of nearly 90%.
India broke the world record by successfully placing 104 satellites in Earth Orbit on 15 February 2017 on a single rocket launch.
Recent reports indicate that human spaceflight is planned with a spacecraft called Gaganyaan for December 2021 on a home-grown GSLV-III rocket. ISRO is also planning to send orbiters to Venus, Mars and in the near future. India has successfully tested anti-satellite missile, becoming the fourth country to do so.
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.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.
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. The Japanese constitution adopted after World War II limits military activities to defensive operations. In 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. 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 project is proposed to launch by 2025 as part of the Japanese plan to send manned missions to the Moon. is doubtful about the Japanese manned Moon project, and suspects the project is a euphemism for participation in the American Constellation program. JAXA planned to send a humanoid robot to the Moon.
Other players
Iran
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 had been successfully launched into low Earth orbit by a version of Iran's Safir rocket, the Safir-2. The launch coincided with the 30th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution. Iran is also developing a new launch vehicle Simorgh.Israel
Israel became the eighth 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. 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."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, 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 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. The successor to the Korean Committee of Space Technology, National Aerospace Development Administration successfully launched an Unha-3 launch vehicle in February 2016, placing the Kwangmyŏngsŏng-4 satellite in orbit.Indonesia
is responsible for long-term civilian and military aerospace research Indonesia. In July 1976, Indonesia became the first developing country to operate its own domestic satellite system. In October 1985, Indonesian scientist, Pratiwi Sudarmono was selected to take part in the NASA Space Shuttle missions STS-61-H as a Payload Specialist. Taufik Akbar was her backup on the mission. However, after the Challenger disaster the deployment of commercial satellites like the Indonesian Palapa B-3 planned for the STS-61-H mission was canceled, thus the mission never took place. The satellite was later launched with a Delta rocket.For over two decades, Indonesia has managed satellites and domain-developed small scientific-technology satellites LAPAN and telecommunication satellites Palapa, which were built by Hughes and launched from the US on Delta rockets or from French Guiana using Ariane 4 and Ariane 5 rockets. It has also developed sounding rockets and has been trying to develop small orbital space launchers. The LAPAN A1 in 2007 and LAPAN A2 satellites were launched by India in 2015. Indonesia has undertaken programs to develop and use their own small space launch vehicle Pengorbitan.
South Korea
is a newer player in the Asian space race. 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. 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. 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 have completed the construction of Naro Space Center. South Korea is now attempting to build satellites and rockets with local technology. South Korea is pursuing a space program that could defend the peninsula while lessening their dependency on the United States.Turkey
As of 2012 Turkey was developing its own military satellite. The first Göktürk satellite is planned to be launched in 2013. 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. Turkey is also developing an orbital launch system known as UFS.Other nations and regions
Other minor spacefaring countries are Bangladesh, Malaysia and Pakistan. On 7 June 1962, with the launch of the Rehbar-I rocket, Pakistan became the tenth country in the world to successfully conduct the launch of an unmanned spacecraft. SUPARCO has launched a number of sounding rockets. Pakistan's first satellite, Badr-I was launched from China in 1990, Badr-B in 2001 from Baikonur Cosmodrome using a Ukrainian Zenit-2 rocket, followed by Paksat-1R in 2011 which was contracted and actually built and launched by China, was Pakistan's first communication satellite. Under its Space programme 2040, Pakistan aims to operate five geostationary and six low earth orbit satellites. Development of any satellite launch vehicle is not planned.With the launch of Bangabandhu-1 satellite purchased abroad, Bangladesh began operating its first communication satellite in 2018. Bangladesh Space Agency intends to launch satellites after 2020. Bangladesh's government has stressed that the country seeks an "entirely peaceful and commercial" role in space.
Timeline of national firsts
Other achievements
- First Asian country to collaborate on the International Space Station –
Comparison of key technologies
Launch vehicle technology
;First successful independent launches;Solid fuel rockets
;Cryogenic and semi-cryogenic rocket engines
;Capability of Launch Vehicle
;Biggest multi-satellite simultaneous launches
;First flight of space shuttles
Satellite technology
;Payloads in orbit by number;Optical satellite imagery
;Radar satellite imagery
;Communications satellite technology
;Solar Sail spacecraft
;Spacecraft powered by indigenous plasma thrusters
;Spacecraft powered by indigenous ion thrusters
;Spacecraft powered by indigenous Hall thrusters
Manned spaceflight and rendezvous space docking and berthing capabilities
;First indigenous manned spaceflights;Independent human spaceflights
;First independent extravehicular activity
;First independent Space rendezvous
;First space habitation module
;First Space laboratory
;Resupply spacecraft
Lunar exploration
;First orbiters to the Moon;First intentional Moon landings
;First Lunar soft landings/Lunar rovers
Interplanetary exploration missions
;First probes to Mercury;First probes to Venus
; First orbiters to Mars
; First intentional Mars landing
;First Asteroid explorations
| Nation | Multi-satellite simultaneous launches | Launch of foreign satellite | Geostationary launches | Atmos- pheric reentry | Rendezvous dockings in orbit | Satellite navigation system | Data relay satellites | Martian missions | :Category:Missions to the Sun|Solar Space Missions | Space observatories |
| 1981 3 Sats | 1990 CZ-2E  science satellite | 1984 Dong Fang Hong 02 | 1975 FSW-0 | 2011 Tiangong 1 | 2000 Beidou | 2008 Tianlian I | 2011 Yinghuo-1 | Solar Space Telescope | 2017 Space Hard X-Ray Modulation Telescope | |
| 1999 3 Sats | 1999 PSLV-C2  Kitsat-3 DLR-Tubsat | 2001 Kalpana-1 | 2007 SRE-1 | SPADEX | 2013 IRNSS | IDRSS | 2013 Mangalyaan | 2021 Aditya-L1 | 2015 Astrosat | |
| 1986 3 Sats | 2002 H-IIA  FedSat | 1977 ETS-II | 1994 OREX | 1997 ETS-VII | 2010 QZSS | 2002 | 1998 Nozomi | 1975 Taiyo | 1979 Hakucho |
? : Date is assumed
Only projects with under-development or above status have been listed
Asian orbital launch systems
Orbital launch systems from Asian national space agencies
The list documents launch systems developed or used by national space agencies only and not private spaceflight companies.;Legend:
Orbital Launch Frequency
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | Total | |
| 19 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 39 | 167 | |
| 3 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 38 | |
| 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 33 | |
| 1 | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 7 | |
| - | 2 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 3 | |
| - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 2 | |
| - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | |
| Total | 26 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 29 | 35 | 31 | 52 | 251 |
Human Spaceflight
;Legend:China
First manned spacefaring
China was first Asian country and third in the world after USSR and USA to send humans in space. As the Space Race between the two superpowers culminated to human landing on the Moon, Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai decided on July 14, 1967 that the PRC should not be left behind, and therefore initiated China's own crewed space program. The top-secret Project 714 aimed to put two people into space by 1973 with the Shuguang spacecraft. Nineteen PLAAF pilots were selected for this goal in March 1971. The Shuguang-1 spacecraft to be launched with the CZ-2A rocket was designed to carry a crew of two. The program was officially cancelled on May 13, 1972 for economic reasons, though the internal politics of the Cultural Revolution likely motivated the closure.The short-lived second crewed program was based on the successful implementation of landing technology by FSW satellites. It was announced a few times in 1978 with the open publishing of some details including photos, but then was abruptly canceled in 1980. It has been argued that the second crewed program was created solely for propaganda purposes, and was never intended to produce results.
In 1992 under Project 921-1, authorization and funding was given for the first phase, which was a plan to launch a crewed Shenzhou spacecraft. The Shenzhou program had four uncrewed test flights and two crewed missions. The first one was Shenzhou 1 on November 20, 1999. On January 9, 2001 Shenzhou 2 launched carrying test animals. Shenzhou 3 and Shenzhou 4 were launched in 2002, carrying test dummies. Following these was the successful Shenzhou 5, China's first crewed mission in space on October 15, 2003, which carried Yang Liwei in orbit for 21 hours and made China the third nation to launch a human into orbit.
The second phase of the Project 921 started with Shenzhou 7, China's first spacewalk mission. Then, two crewed missions were planned to the first Chinese space laboratory. The PRC initially designed the Shenzhou spacecraft with docking technologies imported from Russia, therefore compatible with the International Space Station. On September 29, 2011, China launched Tiangong 1 Space Laboratory. This target module is intended to be the first step to testing the technology required for a planned space station. On October 31, 2011, a Long March 2F rocket lifted the Shenzhou 8 uncrewed spacecraft which docked twice with the Tiangong 1 module. The Shenzhou 9 craft took off on 16 June 2012 with a crew of 3. It successfully docked with the Tiangong-1 laboratory on 18 June 2012, at 06:07 UTC, marking China's first crewed spacecraft docking.
Further continual
A larger permanent manned modular Chinese Space Station under Project 921-2 would be the third and last phase of LEO manned spacefaring. This will be a modular design with an eventual weight of around 60 tons, to be completed sometime before 2020. The first section, designated Tiangong 3, is scheduled for launch after Tiangong 2. New station will supports by new X-11 reused manned, Tianzhou non-reentry and Shenzhou Cargo reentry cargo spacecrafts. First uncrewed flight of X-11 was spacecraft performed on 5 May 2020.PRC aims for manned moon landing in the 2030s.
Also reusable shuttle system with manned winged spaceplane orbiter is under projects. First such Tianjiao-1 and Chang Cheng-1 systems were considered in 1980s-1990s under Project 869. Now Project 921-3 suggests Reusable Launch Vehicle with Shenlong orbiter. As alternative, Tengyun two wing-staged reusable shuttle system and HTS maglev launch assist space shuttle was proposed.
India
First manned spacefaring
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 Bihari Vajpayee publicly urged his country's scientists to work towards sending a man to the Moon.Human Spaceflight Programme was officially started in 2007 by the Indian Space Research Organisation to develop the technology needed to launch crewed orbital spacecraft into low Earth orbit. To demonstrate the ability of recovering crewed orbiters, SRE-1 was conducted in same year. GSLV Mk III launch system with ability to put 10 tonnes in LEO, sufficient to carry crewed spacecraft, was developed and work on ISRO Orbital Vehicle initiated. In December 2014, a Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment was conducted on sub-orbital flight of GSLV Mk III.
The Mysore-based Defence Food Research Laboratory has developed dried and packaged food for astronauts. The food laboratory has developed around 70 varieties of dehydrated and processed food items that have undergone strict procedures to zero-in on micro bacterial and macro bacterial nutrients. Special care has to be taken in the packing and the food item should be of limited weight but at the same time should be high in nutritional qualities.
In July 2018, a pad abort test was conducted to validate crew escape system. Parachute tests are scheduled before end of 2019 and multiple in-flight abort tests are planned starting mid 2020.
On 15 August 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that before India's 75th independence day in 2022, country would have sent humans in the space. Crew module mission was renamed as Gaganyaan. India is expected to send 3 humans in LEO on Gaganyaan spacecraft for 3–4 days on board a GSLV Mk III.
Before announcement in August 2018, human spaceflight was not the priority for ISRO, though most of the required capability for it had been realised. Conducting a manned spaceflight before 2022 has become highest priority after PM's announcement. Human Space Flight Centre was set up in end January 2019 to coordinate implementation of the mission. A third launch pad is under construction at Satish Dhawan Space Centre with abilities to support heavy lift launchers and manned Spaceflight while the second one is being augmented with similar systems to realise mission on time. India's crewed orbital vehicle will have two uncrewed flights in end-2020 and mid-2021 before actually taking humans on board in end-2021. Indian astronauts will be dubbed as Vyomanauts or Gaganauts. Selected by Indian institute of Aerospace medicine, a team of seven test pilots from Indian Air Force are undergoing training in Russia per the memorandum of understanding with Glavkosmos, out of which 4 will be ready for India's first manned space mission.
As of December 2019, India's Department of Space maintains the scheduled date of December 2021 to conduct human spacefllight.
Further continual
India plans to deploy a 20 tonne space station as a follow-up programme of the Gaganyaan mission. On 13 June 2019, ISRO Chief K. Sivan announced the plan, saying that India's space station will be deployed in 5–7 years after completion of Gaganyaan project. He also said that India will not join the International Space Station program. The space station would be capable of harbouring a crew for 15–20 days at a time. It is expected to be placed in a low Earth orbit of 400 km altitude and be capable of harbouring three humans. Final approval is expected to be given to the programme by the Indian government only after the completion of the Gaganyaan mission.ISRO is planning to conduct SPADEX in 2020 to mature technologies related to orbital rendezvous, docking, formation flying and remote robotic arm operations, with scope of applications in human spaceflight, in-space satellite servicing and other proximity operations that will be critical for space station operations.
The agency intends to conduct a crewed lunar landing as well in future.
Japan
Since late 1980s National Space Development Agency of Japan developed HOPE-X small manned winged spaceplane that would be launch by H-IIA vehicle. Despite of successfully flown sub-scale test prototypes, the project was eventually cancelled in 2003 in favour of participation in International Space Station by Kibō Japanese Experiment Module and H-II Transfer Vehicle cargo spacecraft.As alternative to HOPE-X NASDA in 2001 proposed Fuji manned capsuled spacecraft for independent or ISS flights but project was not adopted.
Earlier in 1993-1997, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries proposed Kankoh-maru proposed vertical takeoff and landing single-stage manned of cargo reusable launch system. Later in 2005 this system was proposed for space tourism.
Since 2008 Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency developes H-II Transfer Vehicle cargo spacecraft based manned spacecraft and Kibō Japanese Experiment Module based small space laboratory.
Iran
Iran expressed for the first time its intention to send a human to space during the summit of Soviet and Iranian Presidents in 1990. Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev reached an agreement in principle with erstwhile President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to make joint Soviet-Iranian manned flights to Mir space station but agreement was never realized after dissolution of USSR.Iranian News Agency claimed on 21 November 2005, that the Iranians have a manned space program along with plans for the development of a spacecraft and a space laboratory. Iran Aerospace Industries Organization head Reza Taghipour on 20 August 2008, revealed Iran intends to launch a manned mission into space within a decade. This goal was described as the country's top priority for the next 10 years, in order to make Iran the leading space power of the region by 2021.
In August 2010, President Ahmadinejad announced that Iran's first astronaut should be sent into space on board an Iranian spacecraft by no later than 2019. A sub-orbital spaceflight was conducted back in 2016.
On 17 February 2015, Iran unveiled a mock prototype of Iranian manned spaceship that would capable of taking one astronaut into space. According to Iran's Space Administrator, this program was put on hold in 2017 indefinitely.
According to unofficial Chinese internet sources, an Iranian participation in the future Chinese space station program has been under discussion. Currently Iran doesn't have a medium lift rocket similar to Long March 2F, GSLV Mk III and H-IIA. Therefore, sending a human to space is unlikely by Iran due to the lack of equipment.
Iraq
According to a press-release of Iraqi News Agency of 5 December 1989 about the first test of the Tammouz space launcher, Iraq intended to develop crewed space facilities by the end of the century. These plans were put to an end by the Gulf War of 1991 and the economic hard times that followed.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 people to the Moon in the distant future and have already sent lunar probes.| Asian lunar exploration probes | Asian lunar exploration probes | Asian lunar exploration probes | Asian lunar exploration probes | Asian lunar exploration probes | Asian lunar exploration probes |
| Mission name | Type | Year | Vehicle | Outcome | - |
 Hiten | Flyby/Orbiter | 1990 | Mu-3S-II | - | |
| Hagoromo | Orbiter | 1990 | Mu-3S-II | - | |
| Lunar-A | Orbiter | 2004 Never launched | M5 | Cancelled and integrated into Russia's Luna-Glob. | - |
| SELENE | Orbiter | 2007 | H-IIA 202 | - | |
 Chang'e 1 | Orbiter | 2007 | Long March 3A | - | |
 Chandrayaan-1 | Orbiter | 2008 | PSLV-XL | - | |
| Chang'e 2 | Orbiter | 2010 | Long March 3C | - | |
| Chang'e 3 | Orbiter Lander Rover | 2013 | Long March 3B | - | |
| Chang'e 5-T1 | Flyby | 2014 | Long March 3C | - | |
| Chang'e 4 | Orbiters Lander Rover | 2018-19 | Long March 4C and Long March 3B | - | |
| Chandrayaan-2 | Orbiter Lander Rover | 2019 | GSLV MkIII | - | |
| Chandrayaan-3 | Lander Rover | Q2 2021 | GSLV MkIII | - | |
| Chang'e 5 | Sample return | Q4 2020 | Long March 5 | - | |
 Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter | Orbiter | December 2020 |  Falcon 9 | - | |
| SELENE-2 | Orbiter Lander Rover | 2020s | H-IIA | Cancelled | - |
| SLIM | Lander | January 2022 | H-IIA 202 | - | |
| DESTINY+ | Flyby | 2022 | Epsilon | - | |
| Chang'e 6 | Sample return | 2023-24 | Long March 5 | - | |
| Chang'e 7 | Lander | 2023 | TBD | - | |
| Lunar Polar Exploration Mission | Orbiter Lander Rover | 2024 | H3 | Proposed | - |
| Chang'e 8 | Lander | 2026 | TBD | Proposed | - |
 North Korean mission to Moon | TBD | 2026 | Unha-20 | Proposed | - |
Probing the Moon
Japan was the first Asian country to launch a lunar probe. The Hiten spacecraft, 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
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. 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, 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 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 was to be applied to future soft landings such as Chandrayaan-2, planned for 2019. However, following successful orbital insertion, ISRO lost the contact with lander-rover module which was supposed to conduct soft landing on moon and only limited success could be accomplished. After accomplishment of its first manned mission, India has proposed space stations and manned missions to Moon in long term.
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. With following Chang'e 4, PRC became world's first country to land on the far side of the Moon. China also aims to undertake a manned Moon landing by the late 2020s.
Exploration of the major planets
Japanese interplanetary probes have been mostly limited to Small Solar System bodies such as comets and asteroids. Japan was world's first country to launch a spacecraft on 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. Together with European Space Agency, JAXA has launched Mio spacecraft to for mapping magnetic field of Mercury. Spacecraft will have flyby through Venus as well.Chinese scientists expect that China will take 20 years to launch independent planetary probes. The Chinese manned Mars exploration program is planned for around 2050 by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. After failed attempt to launch Yinghuo-1, China is planning another Mars mission with an orbiter as well as rover. Moreover, China plans to send an orbiter to Venus around 2025. China has also been planning an orbiter to Jupiter.
India has successfully launched Mars Orbiter Mission on November 5, 2013. It reached Mars in 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. India is planning another mission to Mars in the 2020s. India has schedules to launch Aditya-L1 near Sun to study Solar corona and developing Shukrayaan-1 spacecraft to Venus. India is also studying exploration missions to asteroids, Jupiter and to exo-planets and beyond solar system like American Voyager 1.
| Asian interplanetary exploration probes | Asian interplanetary exploration probes | Asian interplanetary exploration probes | Asian interplanetary exploration probes | Asian interplanetary exploration probes | Asian interplanetary exploration probes |
| Mission name | Destination | Type | Year | Vehicle | Outcome |
| Nozomi | Mars | Orbiter | 2003 | M-V | |
| Hayabusa | Asteroid: 25143 Itokawa | Sample return | 2005-7 | M-V | |
| Akatsuki | Venus | Orbiter | 2010 | H-IIA 202 | |
| Akatsuki | Venus | Orbiter | 2015 | H-IIA 202 | |
| IKAROS | Venus | Flyby | 2010 | H-IIA 202 | |
| Shin'en | Venus | Flyby | 2010 | H-IIA 202 | |
| Yinghuo-1 | Mars | Orbiter | 2011 |  Zenit-2M | |
| Chang'e 2 | Asteroid: 4179 Toutatis | Flyby | 2012 | Long March 3C | |
| Mars Orbiter Mission | Mars | Orbiter | 2013-14 | PSLV-XL | |
| Hayabusa2 | Asteroid: 162173 Ryugu | Sample return | 2014-20 | H-IIA 202 | en route |
| PROCYON | Asteroid: 2000 DP107 | Flyby | 2016 | H-IIA 202 | |
| Mio | Mercury | Orbiter | 2018-24 |  Ariane 5 ECA | en route |
| Tianwen-1 | Mars | Orbiter/Rover | 2020-21 | Long March 5 | en route |
 Hope Mars Mission | Mars | Orbiter | 2020-21 | H-IIA | en route |
| Aditya-L1 | Sun | Orbiter | 2020 | PSLV-XL | |
| DESTINY+ | Asteroid: 3200 Phaethon | Flyby | 2022-26 | Epsilon | |
| Shukrayaan-1 | Venus | Orbiter and aerobots | 2023 | GSLV MkIII | |
| MMX | Mars | Orbiter | 2024-2025 | TBD | |
| MMX | Phobos | Sample return | 2024-2025 | TBD | |
| Mars Orbiter Mission 2 | Mars | Orbiter Lander Rover | TBD | GSLV MkII or GSLV MkIII |