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

New strain of bacteria found on China’s Tiangong space station

The microbe developed in a cabin and its discovery could have important implications for the future of space travel.

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US-China relations

Will satellite dogfights be the final frontier for US-China space rivalry?

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Science

China launches satellites to build the world’s first supercomputer in orbit

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Science

China eyes 300-satellite constellation for ultra-high-resolution surveillance

Chutian project aims to establish 300-satellite network offering continuous global coverage with a range of imaging types.

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China’s Chutian-001 experimental satellite has been tested in very low Earth orbit for around a year. Photo: Handout
Science

China-led study finds sign of liquid water in Mars

Scientists using data from Nasa’s InSight lander find mysterious zone they say is best explained by a layer of water-saturated rock.

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Good Schools Guide

Junior astronaut training programmes are sparking interest in space

Hong Kong children have a number of ways they can get involved with international space programmes, which offer them hands-on experiences.

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Science

China uses powerful radar to search for ice that can make or break moon race

Team used Sanya incoherent scatter radar and FAST telescope for ground-based radar imaging experiment focused on the lunar south pole.

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Chinese researchers say their recent analysis assumes radar signals in their experiment were caused by water ice on the moon, although they could be caused by other factors. Photo: Reuters
Science

US space agency Nasa will not fund study on China’s moon sample, says scientist

China’s moon rocks and soil will be put under the microscope and compared to Apollo-era samples to deepen understanding of volcanic past.

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Science

China’s young talent scheme lures smart materials scientist Li Yongxi from US

Nanjing University website says Li has taken a position as an associate professor at its Suzhou campus.

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Science

China’s daytime laser ranging breakthrough takes moon race to new heights

The test by China’s Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL) expands the limits of the technology and is expected to help achieve future deep space missions.

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China’s Tiandu-1 satellite has taken part in a laser ranging experiment in Earth-moon space under strong daylight conditions, which the satellite’s developer said is a first. Image: CCTV

Video | China launches Shenzhou-20 mission to space station

On board the Tiangong space station, the three-member crew will also conduct cutting-edge experiments on tissue regeneration and human-machine collaboration systems  

China’s Shenzhou-20 crew to test superconductors, install debris defences on space station
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Aerospace: Companies

Shanghai aims for leading role in China’s commercial space sector

China’s financial hub steps up challenge to American space giants such as SpaceX and Blue Origin.

Hong Kong

Editorial | Shenzhou-20 launch signals nothing will stop the rise of China

Blast-off to Tiangong space station defies geopolitical headwinds with nation aiming to put astronauts on the moon by 2030.

US-China relations

US scientists given access to moon rocks brought back by China’s Chang’e-5 probe

Chinese space agency says American scientists will be among the international researchers allowed to study lunar samples.

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The Chang’e-5 lunar probe brought samples back to Earth in 2020. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong’s first astronaut could serve on space missions next year

China Manned Space Agency picked Hongkonger in June last year as part of fourth batch of preparatory astronauts.

Attendees look at equipment used by Chinese astronauts at the InnoTech Expo in Hong Kong. Photo: May Tse
US-China relations

‘Stay away’ from Chinese satellite services, US advises allies in leaked memo

State Department talking points suggest foreign governments take steps to exclude China-based providers because of security risks.

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US-China trade war

China’s satellite self-reliance could get a boost from Trump’s tariffs: expert

Trade restrictions may hasten China’s drive to make its satellite industry more competitive as it reduces dependence on US components.

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Science

Will the US hand space leadership to China by pulling Nasa out of Mars race?

Experts contrast Washington’s budget threat to Martian sample return programme and clear goals for Tianwen-3 mission and beyond.

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China’s Tianwen-3 mission to retrieve samples from Mars is expected to leave Earth in 2028. Photo: Shutterstock
Science

China’s ‘hopeless’ satellites create first Earth-moon navigation network

DRO-L, DRO-A and DRO-B finally form a communication and navigation system spanning from low Earth orbit to distant retrograde orbit.

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US-China relations

Chinese embassy in Chile accuses US of ‘hegemonism’ over Trump nominee’s remarks

Nominee to serve as top American envoy to Santiago would try to ‘restrict’ Beijing’s access to resources, especially in space and technology.

US-China relations

Spurred by China, US-Japan space cooperation expands beyond civilian projects

East Asia faces ‘severe security environment’ with Beijing and Moscow ‘irresponsible’ in their conduct, senior Tokyo official says.

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Directed energy weapons like the one seen in this illustration are among the possibilities being envisioned for space combat. Image: Shutterstock
US-China relations

Pentagon urges faster militarisation of space, citing China’s advances

In separate hearings, generals say Washington should regard space less as a strategic resource and more as a potential battlefield.

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Artist’s representation of a spacecraft in a near-Earth orbit. On Thursday, Pentagon officials discussed accelerating the militarisation of space. Image: Shutterstock
Science

China aims to deploy maglev rocket launch pad by 2028, challenging SpaceX

Advances in rocket acceleration to supersonic speeds before ignition are part of plan to create hub of private rocket manufacture.

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Science

Chinese scientists propose a giant telescope on the far side of the moon

Array would leverage robotic and crewed lunar missions and China-led International Lunar Research Station set to take shape by 2035.

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US-China relations

Chinese satellites seen ‘dogfighting’, US Space Force official says

Objects observed ‘manoeuvring in and out and around each other’, practising tactics, techniques and procedures, according to USSF general.

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A Shiyan-24C experimental satellite is launched from a sea platform in 2024. The satellite is among those seen “dogfighting in space”, according to the USSF. Photo: Handout
Science

Chinese nuclear scientists identify flaw in Nasa’s lunar reactor design

China could power ahead of the US in the moon race thanks to a few structural differences in its lunar base reactor, engineers say.

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Artist’s concept of a fission power system on the lunar surface. Chinese engineers have pointed out some minor differences that make the Chinese lunar nuclear reactor more efficient and longer-lasting than Nasa’s. Image: Nasa
Science

US risks being left in Chinese plasma engine’s wake as Mars race intensifies

While Nasa’s budgetary struggle continues, the red planet may be a step closer for China after it unveiled a powerful new plasma engine.

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Made in China 2025

China’s latest satellite launch is a milestone for its commercial space sector

The mission is a step forward for China’s push to develop a commercial space industry – and rival Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service.

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