https://www.scmp.com/rss/275856/feed Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) designs, manufactures and launches the world's most advanced rockets and spacecraft. Based in California, it was founded in 2002 by former PayPal entrepreneur Elon Musk with the aim of revolutionising space transportation. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ling Xin,Victoria Bela Ling Xin,Victoria Bela China’s attempt to launch its most powerful privately developed rocket failed on Friday after the vehicle suffered a flight anomaly. The Tianlong-3 rocket is being developed in hopes of breaking a key bottleneck in the country’s roll-out of internet satellite megaconstellations to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. The Tianlong-3, built by Beijing-based start-up Space Pioneer and seen as China’s answer to the US company’s workhorse, the reusable Falcon 9, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348908/china-launches-heavyweight-rocket-challenge-spacexs-falcon-9-it-fails?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348908/china-launches-heavyweight-rocket-challenge-spacexs-falcon-9-it-fails?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 06:04:04 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen CAS Space, a leading Chinese commercial rocket maker, has filed for a listing on Shanghai’s tech-focused Star Market, joining a growing queue of private space companies seeking capital as Beijing steps up support for the sector. Founded in 2018 and incubated by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the start-up plans to raise 4.18 billion yuan (US$600 million) to fund research and development of reusable heavy-lift rockets, spacecraft and liquid-fuel engines,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348774/countdown-starts-chinese-rocket-maker-cas-space-it-sets-course-star-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3348774/countdown-starts-chinese-rocket-maker-cas-space-it-sets-course-star-market?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:29:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Four astronauts blasted off from ⁠Florida on Wednesday on Nasa’s Artemis II mission, a high-stakes voyage around the moon that marks the United States’ boldest step yet toward returning humans to the lunar surface later this decade in a race with China. Nasa’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, topped with its Orion crew capsule, roared to life just before sunset at the agency’s Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying its debut crew - three US astronauts and a Canadian astronaut... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348724/historic-artemis-ii-moon-mission-lifts-amid-us-lunar-race-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348724/historic-artemis-ii-moon-mission-lifts-amid-us-lunar-race-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:41:22 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China’s commercial space sector has reached a cost milestone as its new rocket debuts for less than the ticket price of the latest SpaceX Falcon 9 reusable launch vehicle. The Kinetica-2 Y1 carrier rocket, also known as the Lijian-2 Y1, took off on its inaugural flight on Monday before delivering three satellites into orbit, including a prototype commercial cargo spacecraft and a satellite to function as a mini-orbiting space lab. The rocket developed by Chinese commercial space firm CAS Space –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348697/chinas-commercial-rocket-now-cheaper-elon-musks-spacex-falcon-9?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3348697/chinas-commercial-rocket-now-cheaper-elon-musks-spacex-falcon-9?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:20 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong has retained its top position in terms of initial public offering (IPO) funds raised in the first quarter of this year but industry experts said the city could lose its lead to the US over the full year given the number of mega IPOs expected there, from OpenAI to Elon Musk’s SpaceX. A total of 37 companies raised about US$13.26 billion on the Hong Kong stock exchange’s main board in the three months ended March 31, according to data released on Tuesday by LSEG Data and Analytics. That... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348536/hong-kong-retains-global-ipo-crown-first-quarter-faces-us-mega-listings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3348536/hong-kong-retains-global-ipo-crown-first-quarter-faces-us-mega-listings?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:30:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The astronaut who prompted Nasa’s first medical evacuation earlier this year said on Friday that doctors still do not know why he suddenly fell sick at the International Space Station. Four-time space flier Mike Fincke said he was eating dinner on January 7 after prepping for a spacewalk the next day when it happened. He could not talk and remembers no pain, but his anxious crewmates jumped into action after seeing him in distress and requested help from flight surgeons on the ground. “It was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348216/us-astronaut-says-illness-cut-short-space-mission-made-him-unable-talk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348216/us-astronaut-says-illness-cut-short-space-mission-made-him-unable-talk?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:51:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Scientists have used a tiny plastic “obstacle course” to test how much sperm would struggle to navigate during sex in the weightlessness of space. Some particularly resilient sperm still made it through the course, suggesting that conceiving children in space will still be possible, according to research published on Thursday. However, a bigger problem could be that the development of embryos after fertilisation was harmed by a lack of gravity, the Australian team of researchers found. With... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348051/sex-space-sperm-struggles-navigate-without-gravity-scientists-find?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3348051/sex-space-sperm-struggles-navigate-without-gravity-scientists-find?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:45:48 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nasa announced on Tuesday it ⁠has cancelled plans to deploy a space station in lunar orbit and ⁠would instead use components from the project to build a US$20 billion base on the moon’s surface, while also planning to send a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars. US space agency chief Jared Isaacman, an appointee of US President Donald Trump who took charge at Nasa in December, announced an unprecedented array of changes to the Artemis moon programme that would expand humanity’s footprint in space,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347793/nasa-abandons-orbital-lunar-station-plans-moon-base-and-nuclear-spacecraft?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347793/nasa-abandons-orbital-lunar-station-plans-moon-base-and-nuclear-spacecraft?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 03:54:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A federal jury in California found on Friday that tech titan Elon Musk misled Twitter shareholders in an effort to drive down the company’s share price as he was poised to buy it in a US$44 billion deal. The verdict in a class action securities lawsuit means the world’s richest person could be ordered to pay out as much as US$2.6 billion, according to damages calculated by jurors. Giuseppe Pampena filed the suit against Musk on behalf of people who sold Twitter shares between mid-May of 2022 and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347400/elon-musk-misled-twitter-shareholders-us-jury-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347400/elon-musk-misled-twitter-shareholders-us-jury-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 23:51:38 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off his first tour of China this year on Wednesday, while the iPhone maker’s chief operating officer visited key suppliers, including Foxconn and Sunwoda, in a sign of the company’s continued focus on the country’s huge market and manufacturing ecosystem. Cook turned up at an Apple Store in Chengdu, the capital of southwestern Sichuan province, in the afternoon as part of the company’s 50th anniversary celebrations. He interacted with celebrities and customers,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347062/apples-tim-cook-visits-china-reliance-chinese-supply-chains-endures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347062/apples-tim-cook-visits-china-reliance-chinese-supply-chains-endures?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Nasa cleared its moon rocket on Thursday for an April launch with four astronauts after completing the latest round of repairs. The 98-metre (322-foot) rocket will roll out of the hangar and back to the pad next week at Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre, leading to a launch attempt as early as April 1. It will mark humanity’s first trip to the moon in more than 50 years. The timing is interesting. From the end of March, US President Donald Trump is slated to visit China and meet with President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346456/nasa-clears-artemis-moon-rocket-april-launch-4-astronauts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346456/nasa-clears-artemis-moon-rocket-april-launch-4-astronauts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:24:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Elon Musk’s estimated US$839 billion net worth has made him the wealthiest individual ever recorded, Forbes said on Tuesday, as billionaires worldwide saw their combined fortunes surge in the past year to an all-time high of US$20.1 trillion. Musk topped the Forbes World’s Billionaires list for the second consecutive year after his fortune swelled by roughly US$500 billion over the past 12 months, driven by rising valuations at Tesla and SpaceX, which is targeting a public offering in 2026. He... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346162/elon-musk-course-become-worlds-first-trillionaire-wealth-soars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346162/elon-musk-course-become-worlds-first-trillionaire-wealth-soars?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:30:21 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin China should not follow SpaceX in launching artificial intelligence data centres into orbit, but instead focus on more practical near-term space-based computing, a senior researcher has said. Gao Wen, a computer scientist at Peking University and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said on Thursday that electricity demand was not a major bottleneck for AI data centres in China, meaning there was little reason to move them into space. In a Sina News interview during the annual “two... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345685/china-cant-buy-elon-musks-theory-space-based-ai-centres-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345685/china-cant-buy-elon-musks-theory-space-based-ai-centres-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:30:08 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian More of the world’s billionaires live in China than anywhere else, after stock market gains and artificial intelligence generated a record number of billionaires globally, according to the latest Hurun Global Rich List. China overtook the United States to recapture bragging rights on the annual report released by Hurun Group on Thursday, with 1,110 billionaires out of 4,020 globally. China added 287 billionaires since the previous edition of the report, more than recouping its losses over the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345577/china-worlds-billionaire-capital-again-hurun-rich-list-swells-stock-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3345577/china-worlds-billionaire-capital-again-hurun-rich-list-swells-stock-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:30:13 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Nasa is shaking up its Artemis mission to the moon, cancelling a multibillion-dollar Boeing upgrade to the centrepiece SLS rocket and slotting in a test flight closer to Earth as the programme remains beset by delays and cost overruns. The changes announced on Friday mean that Nasa is essentially swapping the actual moon landing for an additional test mission staged closer to Earth – while insisting the 2028 deadline for a lunar touchdown remains unchanged. Artemis III, which was supposed to be... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344936/nasa-overhauls-artemis-mission-amid-setbacks-moon-race-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344936/nasa-overhauls-artemis-mission-amid-setbacks-moon-race-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:18:17 +0000 Zhang Shidong,Themis Qi Zhang Shidong,Themis Qi Chinese stock investors have found a new favourite that could possibly take over the artificial intelligence trade, scooping up so-called rocket shares on bets that commercial aerospace will become the next battleground in the rivalry between Beijing and Washington. A gauge of commercial aerospace companies trading on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges has risen about 10 per cent this year, adding to a 76 per cent increase in 2025, according to data from financial services provider Shanghai... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343815/ai-aerospace-china-meme-rocket-shares-take-race-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3343815/ai-aerospace-china-meme-rocket-shares-take-race-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nasa on Thursday blamed what it called engineering vulnerabilities in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft along with internal agency mistakes in a sharply critical report assessing a botched mission that left two astronauts stranded in space. The US space agency labelled the 2024 test flight of the Starliner capsule a “Type A” mishap - the same classification of the deadly Challenger and Columbia shuttle disasters - a category that reflects the “potential for a significant mishap,” it said. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344068/nasa-ranks-2024-spacecraft-mishap-among-its-worst-disasters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344068/nasa-ranks-2024-spacecraft-mishap-among-its-worst-disasters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 03:50:26 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China has been urged to build dual-use satellite application systems to increase the military use of commercial technology. The appeal by researchers from a university affiliated with the Central Military Commission – China’s highest command body – comes as space technology developed by private firms is increasingly being used for military purposes. For example, the US military has stepped up its use of technology from Elon Musk’s Starlink network and other commercial satellite companies,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343762/why-china-being-urged-integrate-commercial-space-tech-military-systems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343762/why-china-being-urged-integrate-commercial-space-tech-military-systems?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:10:46 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The International Space Station returned to full strength with Saturday’s arrival of four new astronauts to replace colleagues who bailed early because of health concerns. SpaceX delivered the US, French and Russian astronauts a day after launching them from Cape Canaveral. Last month’s medical evacuation was Nasa’s first in 65 years of human space flight. One of four astronauts launched by SpaceX last summer suffered what officials described as a serious health issue, prompting their hasty... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343602/4-astronauts-arrive-international-space-station-replace-nasas-evacuated-crew?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343602/4-astronauts-arrive-international-space-station-replace-nasas-evacuated-crew?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 23:35:10 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin China’s latest rocket test has put the country neck and neck with the US in the race to the moon, with crewed landings before 2030 a realistic goal for both nations, according to analysts. During Wednesday’s eight-minute flight from southern Hainan province, China successfully tested two major components of its crewed lunar system: a mid-air escape of the Mengzhou crew capsule and a full launch, re-entry and splashdown of the moon rocket’s core stage. Rand Simberg, an aerospace engineer and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3343346/10-9-8-rocket-test-puts-china-neck-and-neck-us-moon-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3343346/10-9-8-rocket-test-puts-china-neck-and-neck-us-moon-race?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China has successfully completed a crucial safety test and fired off a new-generation rocket as part of the country’s preparations for a crewed mission to the moon. Wednesday’s escape test on board the Mengzhou crew carrier was designed to ensure that astronauts could be safely returned to Earth if something went wrong during the launch. The Chinese space programme had already carried out a ground-level safety test in June, but the latest test was designed to check that crew members would be... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3343144/chinas-mengzhou-spacecraft-passes-key-test-2030-crewed-moon-mission-long-march-10-rocket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3343144/chinas-mengzhou-spacecraft-passes-key-test-2030-crewed-moon-mission-long-march-10-rocket?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 03:58:21 +0000 Victoria Bela,Shi Huang Victoria Bela,Shi Huang Elon Musk has pivoted from his long-standing focus on Mars, announcing an ambitious plan to set up a “self-growing city” on the moon in less than a decade. The plan could see Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, competing for prime space with China’s planned International Lunar Research Station, which Beijing aims to establish by 2035. While it is possible both the United States and China could have bases on the moon within a decade, a space expert said it would require massive infrastructure that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3343083/will-musks-moon-pivot-put-spacex-collision-course-chinas-lunar-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3343083/will-musks-moon-pivot-put-spacex-collision-course-chinas-lunar-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:09:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse SpaceX is putting its long-standing focus of sending humans to Mars on the back burner to prioritise establishing a settlement on the moon, founder Elon Musk said on Sunday. The South Africa-born billionaire’s space company has found massive success as a Nasa contractor, but critics have for years panned Musk’s Mars colonisation plans as overambitious. The move also puts Musk in alignment with US President Donald Trump’s shift away from sending Americans to Mars. The US faces intense competition... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342887/spacex-puts-mars-back-burner-focus-moon-city-musk-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342887/spacex-puts-mars-back-burner-focus-moon-city-musk-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:43:47 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The global space industry has rapidly evolved from the days when nations raced to the heavens in a quest for glory. Now space is a venue for competition to forge the world’s technological future. Hong Kong must follow these developments with solid planning if it hopes to tap into the opportunities of China’s “NewSpace” ambitions. NewSpace is an emerging industry where private firms are involved with satellite manufacturing, launch services, space law, tourism and other ventures concentrated in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342632/hong-kong-need-not-wait-help-chinese-space-ambitions-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342632/hong-kong-need-not-wait-help-chinese-space-ambitions-take?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 23:15:15 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China on Saturday launched the latest mission of its reusable experimental spacecraft – a potential rival to the US Space Force’s X-37B. It was China’s fourth launch of such a prototype spacecraft since 2020, all of them conducted at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre using the Long March-2F carrier rocket. The official name and technical specifications of the spacecraft have yet to be announced, but Chinese space fans have dubbed it the Shenlong, or “Divine Dragon”. State news agency Xinhua... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3342759/china-sends-fourth-shenlong-reusable-spacecraft-mission-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3342759/china-sends-fourth-shenlong-reusable-spacecraft-mission-orbit?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Bryan Luk,Leonard Luk Bryan Luk,Leonard Luk If the years 2020 to 2025 were defined by the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution – a period where algorithms helped create tech titans such as Nvidia, OpenAI and Oracle – then 2026 represents a far more exciting and expansive paradigm shift. We are now pivoting from the digitisation of the Earth to the capitalisation and domination of low-orbit space. The golden age of the space economy has arrived, signalled by last month’s announcement that SpaceX is preparing for a June initial public... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342254/us-china-orbital-arms-race-forging-trillion-dollar-space-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342254/us-china-orbital-arms-race-forging-trillion-dollar-space-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Elon Musk’s SpaceX has been sounding out multiple Chinese solar suppliers in recent weeks, industry insiders and companies confirmed, as the world’s richest man advances his vision for space-based data centres powered by constant solar energy – drawing fresh attention to China’s solar supply chain. The discussions, which have not yet resulted in confirmed orders, triggered a rally in shares of several solar-related companies earlier this week, before sentiment cooled on Thursday. Analysts and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342557/space-computing-push-elon-musks-spacex-shines-beam-chinas-solar-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3342557/space-computing-push-elon-musks-spacex-shines-beam-chinas-solar-supply-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Elon Musk said on Monday that SpaceX has acquired his artificial-intelligence ‍start-up xAI in a record-setting deal that unifies Musk’s AI and space ambitions by combining the rocket-and-satellite company with the maker of the Grok chatbot. The deal, first reported by Reuters last week, represents one of the most ambitious tie-ups in the technology sector yet, combining a space-and-defence contractor with a fast-growing AI developer ⁠whose costs are largely driven by chips, data centres and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342161/musk-merges-xai-spacex-bid-build-space-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342161/musk-merges-xai-spacex-bid-build-space-data-centres?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:12:25 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin A team of researchers in China has claimed that a recent near-miss between a Chinese satellite and one of SpaceX’s Starlink devices was behind the US company’s decision to move more than 4,000 of its satellites into lower orbit. The two satellites passed within about 200 metres (656 feet) of each other on December 10, shortly after a launch from northwestern China, according to a social media post last month by Michael Nicolls, SpaceX’s vice-president of engineering. Three weeks later, in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3341360/chinese-satellite-forces-4400-its-starlink-rivals-lower-altitude-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3341360/chinese-satellite-forces-4400-its-starlink-rivals-lower-altitude-study?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words As the prospect of human settlement on Mars becomes increasingly concrete, the question facing humanity is no longer whether we can reach the red planet, but whether going there would actually save us. Mars colonisation has moved from science fiction to engineering road maps.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3340930/moving-mars-first-bring-human-ego-under-control?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3340930/moving-mars-first-bring-human-ego-under-control?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Themis Qi,Zhang Shidong Themis Qi,Zhang Shidong The US-China tech rivalry is no longer confined to the laboratories, fabs and boardrooms of the industry’s biggest names – the artificial intelligence battlefield has now expanded into the capital markets, where ambition is priced in real time. As Washington and Beijing push rival technology ecosystems, initial public offerings and listings are becoming a high-stakes referendum on who gets funding, credibility and, most of all, the runway to scale. Across the Pacific, the contest has been... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340999/labs-listings-us-china-ai-race-makes-capital-markets-new-battleground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3340999/labs-listings-us-china-ai-race-makes-capital-markets-new-battleground?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China should seize a potential strategic window opened by Elon Musk’s plans for a reusable launch vessel to stay competitive with the US as it faces the risk of a new power game in space, a Chinese research institute has urged. In 2022, the US Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Musk’s firm SpaceX a five-year contract to explore how Starship – which it is developing with the aim of creating the world’s largest and most powerful launch vehicle – could be used for “global rapid mobility”, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341042/can-elon-musks-starship-upend-strategic-order-chinese-think-tank-warns-it-might?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341042/can-elon-musks-starship-upend-strategic-order-chinese-think-tank-warns-it-might?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:01:06 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi China is moving forward with the initial public offering (IPO) plans of four private rocket makers this month, as Beijing pushes to build up its commercial space industry amid intensifying competition with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The Shanghai Stock Exchange has issued questions on LandSpace Technology’s IPO application, according to an update late on Thursday, advancing the company’s plan to raise 7.5 billion yuan (US$1 billion) on the tech-focused Star market. IPO preparations also advanced at... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/aerospace/article/3340964/chinas-rocket-start-ups-push-envelope-ipos-gather-pace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-future-tech/aerospace/article/3340964/chinas-rocket-start-ups-push-envelope-ipos-gather-pace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 07:30:14 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela A small number of Chinese satellites and space debris forced SpaceX’s Starlink fleet to execute a large number of collision avoidance manoeuvres last year, as both sides complained of safety challenges from rival internet megaconstellations. The largest culprit was Hongqing Technology’s Honghu-2 satellite, which accounted for 1,143 such manoeuvres. The experimental satellite was launched aboard LandSpace’s Zhuque 2 Y-3 rocket in December 2023. Such manoeuvres consume fuel and shorten a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3340788/chinese-satellites-spacex-says-were-collision-course-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3340788/chinese-satellites-spacex-says-were-collision-course-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin on Wednesday announced a plan to deploy 5,408 satellites in ‍space for a communications network that will serve data centres, governments and businesses, jumping into a satellite constellation market dominated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Deployment of satellites was planned to begin in the last quarter of 2027, Blue Origin said, adding the network was designed to have “data speeds of up to 6 Tbps anywhere ⁠on Earth”. That speed, possible with the satellites’... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340750/bezos-blue-origin-deploy-thousands-satellites-rival-musks-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340750/bezos-blue-origin-deploy-thousands-satellites-rival-musks-starlink?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:18:25 +0000 Victoria Bela,Stephen Chen Victoria Bela,Stephen Chen Four Chinese groups are racing to build global satellite communications infrastructure to challenge the considerable head start made by US tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink. The two leaders for China so far are the central-government-backed GuoWang and Shanghai-backed Qianfan. They have the most satellites in orbit and plans to eventually deploy more than 10,000 apiece. Carmaker Geely’s Geespace also has satellites in space. The fourth group, Hongqing Technology, 48 per cent owned by... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china-future-tech/aerospace/article/3340638/chinese-rivals-musks-starlink-wrestle-rocket-constraints?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china-future-tech/aerospace/article/3340638/chinese-rivals-musks-starlink-wrestle-rocket-constraints?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 04:45:12 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen China’s commercial space sector logged 50 launches last year – more than half of the country’s total – underscoring the growing role of private players alongside the state-led space programme, with Beijing highlighting aerospace as a strategic industry. Commercial launches accounted for 54 per cent of the country’s total in 2025, according to data released on Tuesday by the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Of the total, 25 launches were carried out by commercial launch vehicles.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3340597/chinas-commercial-space-sector-soars-50-launches-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3340597/chinas-commercial-space-sector-soars-50-launches-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:14:01 +0000 Luna Sun,Themis Qi,Zhang Shidong Luna Sun,Themis Qi,Zhang Shidong China’s state-owned power grid giant has pledged to increase fixed-asset investment by 40 per cent over the next five years, at a time when some analysts view electricity capacity as a strategic asset in the US-China rivalry amid soaring demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and other power-hungry industries. The State Grid Corporation of China expects the investment amount to reach 4 trillion yuan (US$574 billion) through 2030, a company record, as it accelerates efforts to build a “new-type... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340194/ai-reshaping-us-china-tech-race-can-electricity-tilt-balance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340194/ai-reshaping-us-china-tech-race-can-electricity-tilt-balance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Four International Space Station (ISS) crew members splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, Nasa footage showed, after the first ever medical evacuation in the orbital lab’s history. A video feed from Nasa showed the capsule carrying American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui land off the coast of San Diego at 12.41am local time. A health issue prompted their mission to be cut short, after spending five months in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339938/nasa-sends-4-astronauts-back-earth-first-medical-evacuation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3339938/nasa-sends-4-astronauts-back-earth-first-medical-evacuation?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 23:31:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China builds a record-breaking hypergravity machine to compress space and time China is set to break its own record in hypergravity research with a colossal new centrifuge that can spin multi-tonne samples at unmatched intensities. 2. China applies to put up 200,000 satellites after calling Starlink a crash... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339804/chinas-bid-200000-satellites-2000-year-old-computer-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339804/chinas-bid-200000-satellites-2000-year-old-computer-7-science-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 07:00:17 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin As China pushes to take the global lead in building space-based solar power stations, a new study warns that powerful lasers beaming energy back to Earth could pose serious risks to other satellites in the increasingly crowded low-Earth orbit. If these beams miss their targets – because of tracking errors or system malfunctions – they could strike nearby spacecraft, overheat solar panels or trigger electrical discharges, according to a team from the Beijing Institute of Satellite Environment... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339829/chinese-risk-study-finds-space-solar-power-stations-could-accidentally-zap-satellites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339829/chinese-risk-study-finds-space-solar-power-stations-could-accidentally-zap-satellites?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Shares of Chinese companies tied to commercial rocket production tumbled after they cautioned that a recent rally had outpaced underlying fundamentals. Hunan Aerospace Huanyu Communication Technology plunged as much as 20 per cent on Tuesday, while China Spacesat dropped as much as 10 per cent before rebounding. Goldwind Science & Technology, which has a stake in rocket start-up LandSpace Technology, fell more than 13 per cent. China Aerospace Times Electronics Technology, CICT Mobile... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3339752/chinese-rocket-shares-slump-after-warnings-irrational-rally?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3339752/chinese-rocket-shares-slump-after-warnings-irrational-rally?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:51:01 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi America’s top defence official declared that the US must achieve unquestioned AI “dominance” to prevent adversaries from gaining a technological edge, as he unveiled a strategy that includes integrating Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s announcement did not mention China by name, but it came a month after a report to the US Congress in which the Pentagon warned of Beijing’s accelerating use of AI to reach its military modernisation goals. On Monday, Hegseth said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339743/us-moves-ai-dominance-outpace-china-new-overwhelming-military-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3339743/us-moves-ai-dominance-outpace-china-new-overwhelming-military-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:14:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Some Iranians were still using Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service despite a nationwide communications blackout, three people inside the ‍country have said, the latest example of Starlink being used to counter internet shutdowns in geopolitical flashpoints. Iranian authorities have in recent days launched a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, including the near-complete shutdown of internet service, which is provided through fibre-optic cables and mobile phone towers. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3339712/iranians-use-musks-starlink-pierce-internet-blackout-during-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3339712/iranians-use-musks-starlink-pierce-internet-blackout-during-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 07:11:33 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Chinese firms have signalled plans to launch more than 200,000 internet satellites, filing submissions with a UN agency just as Beijing accused Elon Musk’s SpaceX of crowding shared orbital resources. A dozen or so submissions from various Chinese satellite players were filed with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) at the end of last month. The biggest projects – CTC-1 and CTC-2 – were for 96,714 satellites each and filed by the newly established Institute of Radio Spectrum... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339493/china-applies-put-200000-satellites-space-after-calling-starlink-crash-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339493/china-applies-put-200000-satellites-space-after-calling-starlink-crash-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Jan 2026 13:00:10 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Silver is the new rare earth, at least when it comes to China’s export controls on strategic commodities. The Ministry of Commerce now requires companies to apply for a two-year special licence for exports of silver, as well as tungsten and antimony. That has intensified the global spotlight on the metal, whose prices already exploded in 2025, outperforming even gold. The latest move is not just about silver, but an indication that China is refining its list of strategic materials beyond rare... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338897/amid-rivalry-us-silver-can-be-seen-chinas-new-industrial-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3338897/amid-rivalry-us-silver-can-be-seen-chinas-new-industrial-leverage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela SpaceX has announced it will reconfigure its Starlink internet satellite constellation by lowering the orbit of more than 4,400 satellites throughout 2026, shortly after Beijing said the project posed “safety and security challenges”. The move aims to relocate the satellites to orbital regions less crowded by space debris and other planned satellite constellations, reducing the risk of collisions and allowing satellites to deorbit faster. It comes after an unnamed representative from Beijing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338547/spacex-will-move-more-4400-satellites-lower-orbit-after-china-cited-safety-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338547/spacex-will-move-more-4400-satellites-lower-orbit-after-china-cited-safety-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 12:00:22 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China builds a record-breaking hypergravity machine to compress space and time China is set to break its own record in hypergravity research with a colossal new centrifuge that can spin multi-tonne samples at unmatched intensities. 2.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3338453/chinas-record-hypergravity-machine-nepals-bride-buying-probe-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3338453/chinas-record-hypergravity-machine-nepals-bride-buying-probe-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 04:12:08 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China has warned that the rapid expansion of internet satellite constellations such as SpaceX’s Starlink presented “pronounced safety and security challenges”. Addressing an informal United Nations Security Council event initiated by Russia on Monday, Beijing’s representative cited several incidents, including near collisions between Starlink satellites and the Chinese space station in 2021, and a satellite that disintegrated in December. The representative also pointed to the disregard of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338409/china-warns-satellites-elon-musks-starlink-are-safety-and-security-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338409/china-warns-satellites-elon-musks-starlink-are-safety-and-security-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi Chinese rocket maker LandSpace aims to raise 7.5 billion yuan (US$1 billion) from an initial public offering (IPO) in Shanghai, after becoming the first home-grown aerospace firm to have its listing application accepted via a fast-tracked process. The Beijing-headquartered company, regarded as a challenger to Elon Musk-led SpaceX, said its listing aimed to “actively respond to national strategic plans and urgent market demands”, according to its prospectus. The Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE)... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338376/chinese-rocket-firm-landspace-moves-closer-us1-billion-ipo-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3338376/chinese-rocket-firm-landspace-moves-closer-us1-billion-ipo-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 06:30:11 +0000