On 20 November 1999, the China National Space Administration launched Shenzhou -1, an unmanned Project 921-1 spacecraft. It was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Area aboard a two-stage rocket. Shenzhou 1 was placed into a Low Earth Orbit ranging from 195 kilometers (121 miles) to 315 kilometers (196 miles).
It was an uncrewed mission designed to test the spacecraft’s systems and lay the foundation for future crewed spaceflights. Since then, from crewed to uncrewed, from one person to multiple people, from cabin experiments to spacewalks, China has launched 19 Shenzhou spacecraft, sending 24 astronauts 38 times into space.
