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China's space programme

China's space programme
The China National Space Administration was founded more than 25 years ago and is overseeing an ambitious programme which includes deep space exploration, a manned space station, and cutting-edge advancements in technology, new materials, robotics and artificial intelligence.
China may be preparing to launch its Jielong-3 rocket from a converted barge in the South China Sea on Saturday, according to a leaked schedule circulating on social media. Photo: Xinhua
Science

Is China about to launch a rocket from South China Sea international waters?

Methane risks, sonic boom and rocket debris make the open ocean an attractive option for increasing launch traffic.

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Space

Editorial | New space race should be recognised as a marathon, not a sprint

China technology

China’s GPS rival, BeiDou, dominates at home. Now, it aims to convert the world

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United States

Nasa’s Artemis astronauts zoom towards moon after fixing toilet malfunction

After troubleshooting minor technical glitches, the four-person crew leave Earth’s orbit for a journey further into deep space than ever before.

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The Artemis II crew, from left, Canadian astronaut and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, mission specialist Christina Koch and pilot Victor Glover. Photo: Nasa via AP
IPO

Countdown starts for Chinese rocket maker CAS Space’s Shanghai listing

China’s commercial rocket champion plans to raise US$600 million on the Star Market after its listing application is accepted.

Space

Video | Historic Artemis II moon mission lifts off

After repeated setbacks, US space agency Nasa is sending 4 astronauts around the moon and further from Earth than ever before.

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United States

Nasa embarks on world’s first crewed moon mission in decades amid race with China

After repeated setbacks, Nasa is sending four Artemis II astronauts around the moon and further from Earth than ever before.

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Nasa’s Artemis II mission lifts off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photo: Reuters
Science

Is China’s commercial rocket now cheaper than Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9?

Using the measure of cost per kilogram of payload capacity, CAS Space compares its Kinetica-2 to a US reusable rocket.

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Science

‘Lighthouses in space’: the Chinese jam-proof satellite network to fill GPS gaps

System places powerful light sources on satellites to send coded signals for drones, self-driving cars, space missions to navigate.

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Space

Opinion | Why China’s space-based solar power is the next frontier of green energy

As the race for orbital energy heats up, China’s ambitious plan to build solar stations in space could boost its strategic influence beyond our atmosphere.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Science

Can China commercial satellite’s ‘octopus tentacle’ pass low-orbit refuel test?

Hukeda-2, with its flexible robotic arm designed to smoothly dock with target spacecraft, was launched on Monday, state media said.

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Hukeda-2 is China’s first commercial test satellite equipped with a flexible robotic arm, according to the state-owned Science and Technology Daily. Photo: Handout
United States

Nasa clears Artemis moon rocket for an April launch with 4 astronauts

After critical repairs, the rocket returns to the pad for humanity’s first crewed trip to the moon in over 50 years.

Science

China’s 2030 moon landing: scientists suggest a site long on Nasa’s radar

Research team cites abundant mare basalts, river-like valleys formed from surface lava flows and deposits of volcanic materials.

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Science

China can’t buy Elon Musk’s theory on space-based AI centres: experts

Beijing urged to focus on installing computing system in orbit to analyse data from satellites making information gathering more effective.

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Elon Musk’s SpaceX is aiming to have a constellation of up to a million satellites operating as orbital data centres. Pictured is the launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9. File photo: SpaceX/TNS
Science

What is the moon’s far side made of? Chinese scientists use AI to crack mystery

Findings add to a growing body of insights from China’s historic Chang’e-6 mission to the lunar far side in 2024.

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Image of the lunar surface as captured by the Chang’e-6 lander. Photo: Handout via Xinhua
Science

China boosts science budget: is it listening to everything Elon Musk says?

Beijing says greater allocation reflects importance of science and tech self-reliance in driving China’s economy and its rivalry with the US.

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Space

Video | Japan’s Space One fails to launch satellites into orbit for third time

The start-up aims to become Japan’s first private company to put a satellite into orbit.

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United States

Nasa overhauls Artemis mission amid setbacks in moon race with China

The US space agency will essentially swap a planned moon landing for an additional test mission staged closer to Earth.

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Nasa’s Artemis II SLS moon rocket slowly rolls back towards the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Centre on Wednesday. Photo: AP
US-China relations

US must be able to ‘turn around and punch’ as China boosts satellites: general

Head of US Space Force Combat Forces Command also highlights spaceplanes as area of increasing competition with China.

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China-Africa relations

How China’s ‘gifting’ of space infrastructure is a diplomatic tool in Africa

Analysts say Beijing is gifting space infrastructure as a form of soft power on the continent.

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China stock market

From AI to aerospace: China meme rocket shares take off in race with US

Investors scramble for opportunities to maintain market momentum after the AI frenzy shows signs of losing steam.

A rocket blasts off from the Hainan commercial spacecraft launch site in Wenchang, south China’s Hainan province. Photo: Xinhua
US-China relations

Why China is being told to integrate commercial space tech with military systems

Appeal comes as strategic rivals such as the US are increasingly eyeing military uses for tech developed by private firms such as SpaceX.

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National University of Defence Technology researchers have called for a “military-civil collaborative” satellite application system to boost the resilience and flexibility of China’s space architecture. Photo: Xinhua
Science

Steve Durst – the US citizen space diplomat who reached out to China

Durst, who has died aged 82, bridged a political divide for the ‘shared excitement of exploring the cosmos’.

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Science

China’s first man in space Yang Liwei officially retires from active duty

First Chinese astronaut to reach Earth’s orbit says he and his cohort are ready to return to space ‘if our motherland needs us’.

SpaceX

Video | Mars to moon shift pits Musk against China in lunar quest

Elon Musk shifts short-term goals from Mars to the moon, where the race for prime space could pit his company against Chinese research base.

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Science

China’s Mengzhou spacecraft passes key test for 2030 crewed moon mission

Test features first flight and controlled vertical splashdown of a Long March-10 carrier rocket.

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The Mengzhou spacecraft separates from the Long March-10 carrier during Wednesday’s escape test and first flight for the heavy-lift new generation rocket. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Hong Kong’s budget should move the city towards ‘inspirational’ development

The 2026-27 budget speech should explain how the city’s economic direction aligns with global and national trends, defining its place in the industries of the future.

Space

Editorial | Hong Kong need not wait to help Chinese space ambitions take off

As a leading hub for finance and law, the city has the ‘right stuff’ to be proactive in drawing up solid action plans for the space economy.

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