China plans record 20 space launches this year - including maiden flight of its own space shuttle

• Chinese space authorities planning to send 40 different aircraft into orbit
• One of the ships will be 'space bus' which can launch 10 satellites at once
• Yuanzheng 1 - China's largest ever rocket - can restart its engine 20 times
• It became third country to launch manned space mission in October 2003
• In 2013, 'soft-landed' first object on the moon since Soviet mission in 1976

By Jay Akbar For Mailonline

China's space authorities have announced plans to launch over 40 different spacecrafts into orbit in 20 separate launches this year.

One of the vessels to be launched is the ground-breaking Yuanzheng 1 - also known as the 'space bus' - which can launch 10 different satellites at once.

2013 was a massive year for China whose scientists launched 16 spacecraft to firmly establish their cosmic credentials.

In October 2003, it became only the third country in history to independently launch a manned mission into space on the Shenzhou 5.

+4

Ground-breaking: One of the 40 aircraft China plans to put into orbit is the Yuanzheng 1 'space bus' which can carry 10 satellites into space and restart its engines over 20 times

+4

Historic: In December 2013, China's Chang'e-3 lunar probe became the first object to soft-land on the moon since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976

A spokesman for the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said the vessels going up this year will mostly be 'communication satellites' orbiting at around 36,000ft.

Director of its Space Department Zhao Xiaojin added: 'There will also be some remote sensing satellites sent up to observe the earth as well as navigation satellites.'

Chinese space authorities also said a number of 'cutting edge' technologies will be tested for the first time, including the highly anticipated 'space bus'.

The Yuanzheng 1 is China's largest ever rocket with a diameter of 5.2 meters. It needs to be assembled at the launch site because trains carrying it would not be able to pass through tunnels. 

Its engine can restart over 20 times when flying in orbit and it is thought to be 75 per cent more efficient than spacecraft of the same size.

It also has the capability to move old, scrapped satellites out of useful orbit and into so-called 'cemetery orbits' to prevent them from hindering other space-faring vehicles. 

In December 2013, the Chang'e 3 lander - named after the Chinese moon goddess - became the first object to soft-land on the moon since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976.

China's National Space Administration operated the mission which incorporated a robotic lander and the country's first ever lunar rover.

+4

Exploration: In June 2012, the Shenzhou-9 carried China's first female astronaut Liu Yang into space

+4

Cosmic: A spokesman for the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation said the vessels going up this year will mostly be 'communication satellites'

The county announced its aspiration to carry out deep space exploration in September 2010 and planned to send a man to the moon by 2025.

Mr Xiaojin says work is also continuing to extend China's lunar program, adding: 'We have made breakthroughs in most of the key technology needed for the Chang'e-5 mission [which is expected to land on the Moon by 2017].

'This year we will conduct more ground tests, particularly ones involving theconditions which will imitate the environment on the moon.'

Meanwhile, the Chinese government has already begun opening up its its lunar exploration program to private investment.