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SCMP

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China space stories of the year. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.
1. Stranded Chinese astronauts return home from space station mission
Three astronauts whose return to Earth from China’s Tiangong space station was delayed after a suspected debris strike touched down on November 14 at the Dongfeng landing site in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
2. China’s Shenzhou 20 debris crisis: a catalyst for space war – or peace?
A tiny piece of debris triggered the most serious mishap at China’s Tiangong space station since it became operational three years ago.
3. China’s Mars mission leaves US for space dust with Nasa at least 4 years behind

China’s lead in the race to bring rocks back from Mars has grown by a big margin, as Nasa’s updated timeline for the return of samples collected by its Perseverance rover puts it at least four years behind.
4. China’s satellite spies on US spycraft in a ‘tit-for-tat’ orbital stand-off
In a notable display of reconnaissance capabilities, a Chinese satellite has observed an American satellite that was itself monitoring China’s space station and high-value satellite, a move analysts described as a strategic tit-for-tat in an increasingly contested space domain.
5. US scientists find ‘critical gaps’ in Nasa plan to beat China on the moon
Scientists have found critical gaps in Nasa’s development of space life support systems that could prevent the United States from competing with China in the pursuit of long-term manned space exploration and habitation.
6. New strain of bacteria found on China’s Tiangong space station

Chinese scientists have discovered a new microbe that developed on board the county’s Tiangong space station, according to a new study.
7. China’s first reusable rocket Zhuque-3 fails recovery, leaving US in the lead
China’s first reusable rocket, the Zhuque-3, launched for the first time on December 3 and successfully reached orbit, but efforts to recover the first stage failed after it crashed near the planned recovery site.
8. China makes first 5G satellite-to-phone video call. Will it defy TikTok curbs?
The world’s first direct 5G satellite-to-smartphone broadband video call by scientists in China has raised new questions about the effectiveness of US restrictions on apps like TikTok.
9. US space agency Nasa will not fund study on China’s moon sample, says scientist

American scientists are eager to get their hands on China’s Chang’e-5 moon samples – but they will not be allowed to use Nasa funding to study them.
10. China launches satellites to build the world’s first supercomputer in orbit
China has launched the first batch of satellites for its space computing constellation, a system that could rival the most powerful ground-based supercomputers once fully deployed.
11. China plans to build ‘Three Gorges dam in space’ to harness solar power
A senior Chinese scientist has revealed an ambitious plan to use super heavy rockets to build solar power stations in space, calling it “another Three Gorges Dam project above the Earth”.
12. China-led study finds sign of liquid water in Mars
Liquid water may be locked in rock just a few kilometres beneath Martian ground – much closer to the surface of the red planet than previously thought.
Passionate about science? Dive deeper with the Dark Matters newsletter, a weekly in-depth analysis on China’s rise in science, technology and military that goes beneath the surface. Sign up for free now.


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China's space programme

Beijing extends Mars mission lead; stranded astronauts back home: China’s year in space

A Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft and a crew of three astronauts, lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the Gobi desert, in northwest China on April 24. Photo: AFP

Chen Dong, the commander of the Shenzhou-20 crew, waves after the crew’s return on Friday afternoon. Photo: Xinhua

The microbe was collected during the Shenzhou-15 mission. Photo: CCTV

A moon surface taken by a panoramic camera aboard the lander-ascender combination of the Chang’e-6 spacecraft after it landed on the moon. Photo: CNSA/Xinhua via AP

DeepSeek’s game-changing rise, China’s robot boot camps: 7 AI 2025 breakthroughs

DeepSeek is being touted as China’s secret weapon in the artificial intelligence war with the US. Photo: AFP

Technicians train humanoid robots at a data collection centre run by the robotics company Agibot in Shanghai. Photo: Getty Images

Sex dolls made by WMDoll are on display at its headquarters in Zhongshan, a city in southern Guangdong province. Photo: Coco Feng

EngineAI Robotics’ humanoid T800 is capable of delivering Bruce Lee-style roundhouse kicks with great force. Photo: Handout

From Labubu to blockbuster films, was 2025 the year China’s soft power went mainstream?

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

 Illustration: Henry Wong

Chongqing has become known as China’s “cyberpunk capital”. Photo: Getty Images

Kenyan social media influencers (from left) MC Jessy, Betty Kyallo, Terence Creative and Mulamwah during their visit to China. Photo: Instagram

Tourists pose for photos with a wall painting featuring the hit animated film “Ne Zha 2” in Dongfeng Village in east China’s Shandong Province on March 1, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

News

China

Science

From the US-China race to bring rocks back from Mars to a ‘tit-for-tat’ orbital stand-off, here are some of the year’s most notable space stories


From the US-China race to bring rocks back from Mars to a ‘tit-for-tat’ orbital stand-off, here are some of the year’s most notable space stories.


China National Space Administration (CNSA)

SCMP Highlights

Beijing extends Mars mission lead; stranded astronauts back home: China’s year in space

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From the US-China race to bring rocks back from Mars to a ‘tit-for-tat’ orbital stand-off, here are some of the year’s most notable space stories

1. Stranded Chinese astronauts return home from space station mission

2. China’s Shenzhou 20 debris crisis: a catalyst for space war – or peace?

From the US-China race to bring rocks back from Mars to a ‘tit-for-tat’ orbital stand-off, here are some of the year’s most notable space stories