Tag: China
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ESA-China SMILE Mission Launches to Map Earth’s Magnetosphere
How Will SMILE Transform Space Weather Monitoring? The Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission launched successfully from Kourou, French Guiana today, marking the culmination of over a decade of ESA-China collaboration. The 2,300-kilogram spacecraft will operate from a highly elliptical orbit (HEO) with a 19.6-hour period, reaching distances of 121,000 kilometers to capture…
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Russia Joins US-China GEO Inspector Satellite Arms Race
What does Russia’s entry into GEO inspector operations mean for orbital security? Russia has deployed its first known inspector satellites in geostationary orbit (GEO), completing a three-way surveillance competition with the US and China at the critical 35,786 km altitude. The development marks a significant escalation in space domain awareness capabilities, with all three major…
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MinoSpace seeks $736M IPO for China satellite expansion
Will MinoSpace’s $736M IPO accelerate China’s satellite manufacturing? MinoSpace, a Chinese satellite manufacturer, has received acceptance for its initial public offering application targeting $736 million in funding. The IPO represents the largest satellite sector public offering in China since 2024, positioning the company to scale satellite constellation deployment and expand manufacturing capacity at a critical…
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China Launches 18 Qianfan Satellites as Zhuque-2E Returns to Flight
How many Qianfan satellites did China launch in its latest expansion? China successfully deployed 18 new satellites to its Qianfan megaconstellation via Long March 6A, while Landspace returned to flight with its upgraded Zhuque-2E rocket on May 14, 2026. The dual missions mark significant progress for both China’s state broadband constellation program and its commercial…
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Launch Preview: SpaceX and Chinese missions fill busy launch manifest
The week of May 11 brings nine launches across the United States and China, spanning government and commercial operators on both sides of the Pacific. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 accounts for four missions: a Cargo Dragon resupply flight to the International Space Station, a classified National Reconnaissance Office payload from Vandenberg, a Starlink mission, and a…
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Tianzhou-10 Delivers 6.9 Tons to Tiangong Station
How quickly can China resupply its orbital outpost? China’s Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft delivered 6.9 tons of supplies to the Tiangong space station Sunday, completing an autonomous docking sequence in just 6.5 hours after launch from Wenchang Space Launch Center. The Long March 7 rocket lifted off at 21:22 UTC, with the cargo vessel securing to…
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Launch Preview: three launches — a calm before the storm?
Two Falcon 9 launches and a Chang Zheng 7 make up the launch roster for the week commencing Monday, May 4, 2026. SpaceX will use its launches to place a further 48 Starlink satellites into Group 17 of the huge constellation of over 7,000 satellites. China’s single flight is a cargo supply mission to the…
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China Hits 26 Launches in 2026 with Pakistan EO Satellite Mission
What does China’s latest launch surge tell us about global competition? China executed three separate Long March missions over the weekend, bringing its 2026 total to 26 launches and maintaining the world’s highest annual launch cadence. The most significant payload was Pakistan’s PRSC-EO3 Earth observation satellite, launched via Long March 2D from Jiuquan Satellite Launch…
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China builds 1,000+ satellite annual capacity amid launch bottlenecks
How fast is China scaling satellite manufacturing capacity? China has built satellite manufacturing infrastructure capable of producing over 1,000 spacecraft annually, representing a 300% increase from 2023 levels, as state-owned enterprises and commercial players race to support ambitious satellite constellation deployments. However, this production surge has created a critical mismatch with launch capacity, as Chinese…
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Launch Preview: GPS, Progress, and Starlink missions to launch during busy week
Seven missions, four countries, and five launch vehicles make the week of April 20 one of the more diverse on the 2026 manifest. GPS III SV10 carries the week’s most technically significant payload in its first-ever GPS laser communications demonstration, while South Korea’s ADD vehicle attempts its first complete four-stage orbital flight. Rocket Lab pulls…