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Mengzhou atop of the CZ-10A test stage. Grid fins and recovery hooks visible at the top of the stage, with people offering perspective of scale. Low-altitude test flight and abort test at maxQ scheduled for Feb. 11. https://t.co/oht5CPXIVu https://t.co/7E3tRMolAk

Quite a moment. Artemis 2, Long March 10A with Mengzhou, and Starship V3 all undergoing preparations, all with big implications for lunar ambitions. https://t.co/ZA0tV6Nrei
We haven't heard from the Chinese reusable space plane for a good while (last mission ended in September 2024). Probably time soon for it to stretch its wings again.
The second stage of the first Zhuque-3 rocket launched in December reentered at 1239 UTC today (±1 min) over the Southern Ocean, according to a US Space Force TIP message. There was a surprising level of interest in the event...

China's human spaceflight agency has opened voting for mission logos for 2026 missions. Here are the 10 candidates for the Mengzhou mission, variously showing Mengzhou, the CZ-10A and Tiangong. https://t.co/MwsOHINj42 https://t.co/IfXUOm3G7u
CASC has conducted a 200-second test of a 240-ton kerolox engine, designed for commercial users and developed for large and medium-sized reusable launch vehicles. https://t.co/rbGkvvK7Yf
An early insight into China's plans for space in its 15th Five-year plan, & it's certainly ambitious & long-term. Areas include: - Space resource development (Inc. feasibility studies for "Tiangong Kaiwu" (below)) - Space tourism - Space-based digital infrastructure - STM
Water deluge system test for a lunar crewed landing mission pad at Wenchang spaceport. Via Douyin/dyums21210av. https://t.co/PXJeBVKW4u
China has suffered 2 launch failures within hours of each other. A Long March 3B lifted off from Xichang at 1655 UTC Jan. 16, but Shijian-32 was lost after a 3rd stage anomaly. The debut launch of the solid Ceres-2...

And out of nowhere, while Long March 10 series tests are being readied at Wenchang, the reusable Long March 12B has had a successful static fire test today at Jiuquan. This is a kerolox rocket, while the recently debuted 12A...

China's 2nd launch of the day & 4th of the year: a Ceres-1 solid rocket lifted off from a barge off the coast of Shandong province at 2010 UTC (Jan. 15), successfully sending 4 Tianqi Constellation satellites into 850 km,...
Shenzhou-20 update: there's an airspace closure notice suggesting the damaged Shenzhou-20 crew spacecraft will attempt reentry and landing between 0120-0150 UTC on Jan. 19. Will be uncrewed, of course, but will be interesting to see how it holds up.

CCTV reports that CAS Space today successfully conducted a suborbital launch and landing of its Lihong-1 vehicle, potentially reaching 120 kilometres in altitude. Awaiting footage. https://t.co/mIJBMGTuNz https://t.co/iTmxf4N2E8
Possibly the payload fairing from the Long March 8A launched from Wenchang on Christmas Day (UTC).

The Chinese Space Station Telescope, or Xuntian, is set to launch in 2027. Science objectives include sky survey, revealing characteristics of dark energy, cosmic structure of dark matter, evolution of the Milky Way, directly imaging exoplanets. Will co-orbit with Tiangong....