https://www.scmp.com/rss/502828/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Are we alone in the universe? That has been the age-old question to which contemporary science may be close to providing an answer. Not only are we probably not alone in the vastness of space, but there might even have been life forms within our solar system besides our own planet, namely Mars. Now imagine the possibilities in our own Milky Way and the countless galaxies out there. The mind boggles. If the universe really is teeming with life, it makes us rather insignificant. In diminishing the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3326161/time-may-be-ripe-china-us-space-cooperation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3326161/time-may-be-ripe-china-us-space-cooperation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin 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. Using data from Nasa’s now-retired InSight lander, a China-led international team of researchers analysed seismic waves from “marsquakes” and meteorite impacts recorded between 2018 and 2022. They revealed a mysterious zone in the planet’s crust they said was best explained by a layer of water-saturated rock. If confirmed, this underground... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3310028/marsquakes-point-liquid-water-red-planets-crust-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3310028/marsquakes-point-liquid-water-red-planets-crust-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 04:00:12 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela A powerful new plasma engine has just been unveiled by Chinese engineers – and it is expected to propel China ahead of the United States in the race to develop plasma technology for Mars and other deep space missions. The new engine also brings China’s technology closer to that of leader in the field Russia, which recently released an advanced prototype plasma engine capable of taking a ship to Mars in less than two months. China’s “high-thrust magnetic plasma thruster”, designed by the Xian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3302325/us-losing-plasma-engine-race-china-and-russia-ahead-long-journey-mars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3302325/us-losing-plasma-engine-race-china-and-russia-ahead-long-journey-mars?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Mar 2025 02:00:13 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin 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. Outgoing Nasa administrator Bill Nelson told a media briefing on Tuesday that the earliest arrival for the Perseverance samples – they are still being collected by the rover, which landed in 2021 – is now 2035. In contrast, Chinese space officials announced in September that the country’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3294056/chinas-mars-mission-leaves-us-space-dust-nasa-least-4-years-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3294056/chinas-mars-mission-leaves-us-space-dust-nasa-least-4-years-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jan 2025 12:00:09 +0000 1. Chinese scientists unveil Death Star-like converged energy beam weapon Researchers have developed a high-power microwave weapon, similar to the Death Star in the Star Wars movies, that converges multiple beams into a single, precise energy attack, completing trials and demonstrating significant military potential. This groundbreaking technology could revolutionise warfare and spark concerns about its potential impact on global security. 2. China’s SpaceSail challenges Elon Musk’s Starlink... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3287537/chinas-death-star-weapon-system-spacesail-rivals-musks-starlink-6-science-stories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3287537/chinas-death-star-weapon-system-spacesail-rivals-musks-starlink-6-science-stories?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Nov 2024 09:10:51 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin China is another step closer to bringing the first pieces of the red planet back to Earth with the development of a lightweight device to capture Martian rock samples in orbit. Weighing just 12kg (26½lbs), the module is mounted on a spacecraft, and is designed to catch a sample container roughly the size of a large coffee can, according to researchers from the Institute of Aerospace System Engineering in Shanghai. Rocks are first collected in the container from Mars’ surface, before being... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3286721/how-chinese-spacecraft-will-catch-mars-rock-samples-journey-earth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3286721/how-chinese-spacecraft-will-catch-mars-rock-samples-journey-earth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2024 09:00:10 +0000 1. Elon Musk influence in Trump White House poses ‘huge test’ to China’s space ambitions The billionaire SpaceX owner’s presence in the new administration could accelerate the US space programme, intensifying the US-China space rivalry. Observers advise sticking to domestic milestones, avoiding a space race with the US. 2. Hopes fade for moon sample swap between China and US as Nasa silent on sharing their samples Negotiations between China and the US for a moon sample exchange stall as the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3286726/musk-casts-shadow-chinas-space-ambitions-us-moon-sample-swap-stalls-mars-ocean-found-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3286726/musk-casts-shadow-chinas-space-ambitions-us-moon-sample-swap-stalls-mars-ocean-found-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2024 08:10:39 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China’s Mars rover Zhurong has found evidence of a coastline from a short-lived ancient ocean, adding to decades of research into the red planet’s watery past. Data collected during the Tianwen-1 mission shows that an ancient sea might have left rock deposits on the planet’s surface 3½ billion years ago, according to a new study by researchers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the China Academy of Space Technology and the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 2021, the rover started exploring the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3285637/chinas-mars-rover-zhurong-finds-evidence-ancient-ocean-red-planet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3285637/chinas-mars-rover-zhurong-finds-evidence-ancient-ocean-red-planet?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:01:07 +0000 Scientists in China say they have developed a lightweight, rechargeable battery for Mars exploration that could be powered by the Martian atmosphere while withstanding the planet’s extreme temperatures. The researchers, from the University of Science and Technology of China, said the battery was capable of “direct inhalation of the Mars atmosphere as fuel” during discharge and secondary charging by external solar and nuclear energy sources. According to the paper published by peer-reviewed... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3281325/china-scientists-develop-space-battery-can-run-mars-atmosphere-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3281325/china-scientists-develop-space-battery-can-run-mars-atmosphere-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Oct 2024 04:00:08 +0000 China is on track to launch its Tianwen-3 mission to Mars in 2028, two years earlier than previously planned, while the US’ sample mission to the planet is in limbo amid major delays and ballooning budgets. On Thursday, Liu Jizhong, chief designer of China’s Mars mission, told the Second International Conference on Deep Space Exploration in Huangshan, Anhui province, that the team aimed to bring back around 600 grams (21 oz) of Martian soil. The timeline for the mission has also been updated... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3277436/china-sets-historic-mars-mission-2028-us-plan-remains-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3277436/china-sets-historic-mars-mission-2028-us-plan-remains-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2024 11:00:09 +0000 I’ve just returned from a mission to Beijing to seek partners for not only scientific space research but also commercial “NewSpace” endeavours. Attending six meetings in 2½ days was exhausting yet exhilarating. Why? Because the mood music from every group we met, whether in the halls of academia or the boardrooms of private companies, is effectively the same. We found ourselves in a “can-do” atmosphere humming with excitement about what the future may hold, an impatience to act, a keenness to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/hk-opinion/article/3255966/its-not-rocket-science-hong-kong-needs-jump-chinese-space-bandwagon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/hk-opinion/article/3255966/its-not-rocket-science-hong-kong-needs-jump-chinese-space-bandwagon?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:30:12 +0000 China is on track with its plan to collect Martian rocks and bring them back to Earth around 2030, a senior space official said during the “two sessions” meetings in Beijing. All key technologies needed for the Tianwen-3 mission were “in place” and work was “progressing smoothly”, said Sun Zezhou, chief designer of the Tianwen-1 spacecraft and a National People’s Congress deputy who is attending China’s annual legislative sessions this week. Tianwen-1 enabled China to be the second country after... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3254491/chinas-mars-sample-return-mission-progressing-smoothly-while-nasa-struggles-behind-schedule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3254491/chinas-mars-sample-return-mission-progressing-smoothly-while-nasa-struggles-behind-schedule?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Mar 2024 06:00:47 +0000 China unveiled on Monday the first colour-coded global maps of Mars taken by the country’s first independent mission to explore the red planet. The panoramic images were compiled from 14,757 photos obtained by the Tianwen-1 orbiter’s moderate resolution imaging camera between November 2021 and July 2022, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). The maps will add to our knowledge of the red planet and improve planning for future missions, including China’s Tianwen-3 mission to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3218195/china-unveils-global-maps-mars-based-tianwen-1-orbiter-photos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3218195/china-unveils-global-maps-mars-based-tianwen-1-orbiter-photos?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:00:11 +0000 Scientists are still waiting for a signal from China’s Mars rover, which was expected to wake from hibernation last month, according to two sources familiar with the country’s Mars exploration programme. The solar-powered Zhurong switched to sleep mode in May so it could wait out the red planet’s cold winter and fierce sandstorms. The Post independently confirmed with two sources on Thursday that the rover should have resumed running by now, but no contact has been established. It’s a wrap for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3205894/chinese-scientists-scramble-wake-mars-rover-plan-send-probe-investigate-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3205894/chinese-scientists-scramble-wake-mars-rover-plan-send-probe-investigate-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jan 2023 14:30:13 +0000 China may launch a new vessel capable of carrying its first crewed mission to the moon as early as 2027, according to the head of the country’s biggest space contractor. Wu Yansheng, chairman of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), told a youth forum that this “new generation of rockets” – sometimes referred to under the codename “921 rocket” – would be able to carry a three-person orbiter and a moon lander that would be able to carry two crew members. Wu also revealed other... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3204452/china-hoping-rocket-can-send-people-moon-will-be-ready-launch-2027?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3204452/china-hoping-rocket-can-send-people-moon-will-be-ready-launch-2027?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Dec 2022 00:00:28 +0000 Nasa’s latest moon rover appears to borrow from the design of a Chinese robot on Mars, according to scientists familiar with the projects – a twist in a space rivalry in which China has long been accused of being the copycat. Zhu Rong, a robotic rover named after the Chinese god of fire, has been roaming the red planet for more than a year. It features an active suspension system that simulates the movement of an inchworm, allowing it to pull its wheels free when they become stuck in rocks or... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3197994/did-nasa-imitate-chinas-mars-robot-scientists-say-rovers-share-inchworm-design?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3197994/did-nasa-imitate-chinas-mars-robot-scientists-say-rovers-share-inchworm-design?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Nov 2022 06:00:14 +0000 Scientists have used a ground-penetrating radar on China’s Mars rover to find possible evidence of flooding events on the red planet billions of years ago. Though no direct evidence for liquid water was found in the shallow subsurface, the study lends weight to the theory that the rover’s landing area once hosted an ancient ocean, the team said in a Nature paper published online on Monday. The researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University also said the possibility of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3193853/chinese-radar-study-lends-weight-theory-ancient-ocean-mars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3193853/chinese-radar-study-lends-weight-theory-ancient-ocean-mars?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Sep 2022 15:00:11 +0000 China’s space agency announced on Wednesday that the Tianwen-1 orbiter has collected data from the entire surface of Mars, marking the official completion of the country’s first Mars mission. Scientific data obtained in the mission will be made available to international scientists at the “proper time”, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). “The purpose of our exploration is to gain a deep and accurate understanding of Mars, through the data obtained by orbiting the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3183557/its-wrap-chinas-tianwen-1-mars-mission-rover-and-orbiter-still?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3183557/its-wrap-chinas-tianwen-1-mars-mission-rover-and-orbiter-still?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Jun 2022 14:36:33 +0000 A senior space official has confirmed China plans to bring rocks home from the surface of Mars by 2031, which could make it the first nation to deliver Martian samples to Earth. The timeline is two years ahead of a US-European planned Mars mission to return samples to Earth, according to Sun Zezhou, chief designer of China’s first Mars mission Tianwen 1 as well as the Chang’e 3 and Chang’e 4 lunar missions. China aimed to send two spacecraft – one comprising a lander and ascent vehicle, and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3182403/chinas-mars-mission-track-lead-world-retrieving-martian-rocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3182403/chinas-mars-mission-track-lead-world-retrieving-martian-rocks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jun 2022 18:00:21 +0000 China’s Zhu Rong robotic rover has found evidence that points to water being present on Mars for longer than previously thought. Scientists have long believed that Mars had a thicker, warmer atmosphere and liquid water on its surface billions of years ago, but that the planet cooled down as it lost its protective magnetic field about 4 billion years ago. The current geological age known as the Amazonian epoch – thought to have begun 3.5 to 1.8 billion years ago – has been seen as a time when... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3177522/chinas-zhu-rong-rover-finds-evidence-there-could-have-been-water?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3177522/chinas-zhu-rong-rover-finds-evidence-there-could-have-been-water?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 May 2022 12:16:14 +0000 The thin layer of dust on the surface of China’s Mars rover will not affect its exploration capacity, the country’s space authorities said, as newly released high-resolution photos showed evidence of dust storms on the red planet. Releasing the latest “selfies” from cameras mounted on the Mars rover “Zhu Rong”, the China National Space Administration said the images showed a thin layer of dust had accumulated on the robotic vehicle’s surface since it was successfully deployed in May last... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3171756/selfies-chinas-mars-rover-zhu-rong-suggest-dust-storms-red?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3171756/selfies-chinas-mars-rover-zhu-rong-suggest-dust-storms-red?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Mar 2022 16:00:18 +0000 China has published videos showing its Mars orbiter Tianwen-1 circling above the northern ice caps of the red planet taken using its “selfie stick” on Monday, the eve of Lunar New Year. In a pink-tinted video, the spacecraft can be seen flying against a landscape sprinkled with frost patches, which the China National Space Administration (CNSA) identified as ice caps. Unlike the ice on the Earth’s polar regions, Martian ice is a mixture of frozen carbon dioxide and water. The video also shows... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3165392/chinas-mars-mission-tianwen-1-orbiter-uses-selfie-stick-capture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3165392/chinas-mars-mission-tianwen-1-orbiter-uses-selfie-stick-capture?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:30:17 +0000 China published on Saturday photos showing its Mars orbiter Tianwen-1 circling above the north pole of the red planet. The photo was taken by a detachable sensor equipped with two wide-angle lenses on the outer wall of the probe that was controlled from earth, according to the Chinese National Space Administration. The data was then sent to the probe, which transferred a total of four images to ground control. In two of the images the golden spacecraft can be seen against the background of a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3161798/chinas-tianwen-1-sends-back-pictures-showing-probe-orbiting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3161798/chinas-tianwen-1-sends-back-pictures-showing-probe-orbiting?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jan 2022 10:33:24 +0000 China’s space programme is one of the fastest growing in the world. Less than 20 years after its first astronaut went to space in 2003, the country has launched satellites, space stations and rovers to Mars and the moon and has plans to explore Jupiter around 2030. For this year, Chinese space agencies have already announced several key milestones they aim to hit. Here are some of the most exciting. 1. Completion of Tiangong space station’s basic structure China launched its first experimental... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3161736/china-space-programme-4-key-missions-2022-include-finishing-core?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3161736/china-space-programme-4-key-missions-2022-include-finishing-core?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:22 +0000 We are faced with relentless Western media coverage of all things bad about China, be it rocket debris falling uncontrolled back onto Earth, theft of Western technology, 5G security risks, Xinjiang genocide allegations, or the recent rehash of the coronavirus lab-leak theory. A visitor to earth would swiftly conclude that China is the most dangerous entity on the planet (“Nato says China presents ‘systemic challenges’ and vows to counter its rise”, June 14). The voices spouting these opinions... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3137316/china-needs-get-its-spin-west-ramps-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3137316/china-needs-get-its-spin-west-ramps-rhetoric?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jun 2021 21:30:00 +0000 China has officially named the nation’s first Mars rover Zhu Rong, after the mythical god of fire and war, preferring it to the humbler option – Hongyi, which means to have an open mind. In Chinese legend Zhu Rong was a formidable character who had the face of man, body of a beast and rode on two dragons. He brought fire from heaven to the world and in wars hurled it at his enemies. In ancient China, his name was once used as the title for the minister of defence. In one of the many battles he... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3130918/china-names-its-mars-rover-zhu-rong-after-mythical-god-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3130918/china-names-its-mars-rover-zhu-rong-after-mythical-god-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Apr 2021 04:10:08 +0000 China launched its first independent probe to Mars on Thursday, joining a growing number of countries aiming to lead exploration of Earth’s nearest neighbor. The probe, named Tianwen-1, was launched from the southern island of Hainan and is expected to reach Mars’ gravitational field next February, according to Chinese media. If the 5-tonne probe makes a successful landing on the fourth planet from the sun, it is expected to work for at least 90 Mars days – a little longer than three months on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-launches-its-first-mars-probe/article/3094553?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-launches-its-first-mars-probe/article/3094553?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jul 2020 09:52:40 +0000 China’s first mission to Mars is expected to be launched around the same time as the United States sends its robotic rover to the red planet this summer. The Tianwen-1 spacecraft will take off on a Long March 5 rocket in July or August and is expected to reach Mars in February, Bao Weimin, head of the Science and Technology Committee of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the space program’s contractor, told state broadcaster CCTV. A ground rover would then be released to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-prepares-its-first-mars-rover-us-sends-its-fifth/article/3087138?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/china-prepares-its-first-mars-rover-us-sends-its-fifth/article/3087138?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2020 08:09:58 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS China is going ahead with its first mission to Mars with a launch planned for July this year, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) confirmed on Sunday. If successful, the Tianwen-1 mission will make China the third country to land on the red planet after the United States and the Soviet Union. CASC is the main contractor for the Chinese space program and has been working on the project since 2016. The mission has several tasks,... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3085935/chinas-mars-mission-will-go-ahead-july-planned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/news-bites/article/3085935/chinas-mars-mission-will-go-ahead-july-planned?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2020 08:16:15 +0000 China is going ahead with its first mission to Mars with a launch planned for July this year, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) confirmed on Sunday. If successful, the Tianwen-1 mission will make China the third country to land on the red planet after the United States and the Soviet Union. CASC is the main contractor for the Chinese space program and has been working on the project since 2016. The mission has several tasks, including orbiting and landing on Mars and... https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/chinas-mars-mission-will-go-ahead-july-planned/article/3085897?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/china-tech-city/chinas-mars-mission-will-go-ahead-july-planned/article/3085897?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2020 08:16:13 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS China’s Mars mission is moving ahead as planned despite disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. And now the mission has a name: Tianwen-1. The China National Space Administration announced the name of the Mars probe mission on Friday. Tianwen, or Heavenly Questions, is a classical Chinese poem written around 300 BC by Qu Yuan, one of ancient China’s greatest poets. The poem, which raised questions about the sky and stars, has been described as... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3081422/chinas-2020-mars-mission-going-ahead-despite-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3081422/chinas-2020-mars-mission-going-ahead-despite-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2020 08:19:44 +0000 China’s Mars mission is moving ahead as planned despite disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. And now the mission has a name: Tianwen-1. The China National Space Administration announced the name of the Mars probe mission on Friday. Tianwen, or Heavenly Questions, is a classical Chinese poem written around 300 BC by Qu Yuan, one of ancient China’s greatest poets. The poem, which raised questions about the sky and stars, has been described as “the written treasure of Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinas-2020-mars-mission-going-ahead-despite-pandemic/article/3081398?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinas-2020-mars-mission-going-ahead-despite-pandemic/article/3081398?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2020 08:19:43 +0000 This article originally appeared on ABACUS   It looks like 2020 is going to be a pretty busy year for China’s space exploration. Despite not having sent astronauts into space for three years, China became the first country to land a probe on the far side of the moon this year. And the country is set to complete more projects in the coming year, according to People’s Daily. Here’s a look at what’s on the agenda. Launching Mars probe China officially unveiled its Mars mission in 2016, planning to... https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3042372/chinas-several-space-missions-2020-include-mars-probe-and-space-station?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/abacus/tech/article/3042372/chinas-several-space-missions-2020-include-mars-probe-and-space-station?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Dec 2019 02:00:21 +0000 It looks like 2020 is going to be a pretty busy year for China’s space exploration. Despite not having sent astronauts into space for three years, China became the first country to land a probe on the far side of the moon this year. And the country is set to complete more projects in the coming year, according to People’s Daily. Here’s a look at what’s on the agenda. Launch Mars probe China officially unveiled its Mars mission in 2016, planning to launch the first unmanned Mars probe in 2020.... https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinas-several-space-missions-2020-include-mars-probe-and-space-station-launch/article/3042251?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/chinas-several-space-missions-2020-include-mars-probe-and-space-station-launch/article/3042251?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Dec 2019 02:00:20 +0000 China has completed a test of its Mars lander, placing the country on track for its first mission to the red planet next year. In the span of several decades, China has emerged from an economic backwater to a rising space power, with recent breakthroughs including the landing of a rover on the far side of the moon. In developing its Mars mission, China is following in the footsteps of the US, which in the 1970s successfully put the Viking landers on Mars and last landed a rover there in November... https://www.scmp.com/science/chinas-mars-mission-passes-landing-test-2020-launch/article/3037856?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/science/chinas-mars-mission-passes-landing-test-2020-launch/article/3037856?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2019 09:31:45 +0000