China National Space Administration

China's governmental body responsible for the management and oversight of the nation's civil space programs and international space cooperation. Operating under the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND), CNSA formulates space industry policy, approves and supervises civilian space research projects, and manages intergovernmental space agreements. CNSA oversees China's lunar exploration program, including the Chang'e series of missions that achieved the first landing on the Moon's far side (Chang'e 4) and the first far-side sample return (Chang'e 6). The agency directs the Tianwen planetary exploration program, with Tianwen-1 delivering China's first Mars rover and Tianwen-2 launched in 2025 for asteroid sample return. CNSA coordinates the BeiDou satellite navigation system, the Gaofen high-resolution Earth observation constellation, and supports the Tiangong space station program operated by the China Manned Space Agency. The agency operates four launch sites: Jiuquan, Taiyuan, Xichang, and Wenchang. With an estimated annual budget of $18 billion, CNSA ranks among the world's largest space programs by expenditure and pursues an active schedule of international partnerships.