Tag: China
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Inside the Global Reusable Rocket Engine Race: Who Is Defining the Next-Generation Heart of Spaceflight?
If rocket engines could only be used once, the space economy would remain an expensive one-way journey. But as Falcon 9 first stages repeatedly return to their landing sites and Raptor engines fire again and again aboard Starship, that logic has been fundamentally rewritten: engine reusability is becoming a decisive factor in launch costs, flight…
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First Geological Mapping Results from China-Saudi Geoscience Cooperation Released
Saudi Arabia’s Geological Survey released the first batch of 24 detailed 1:100,000-scale geological maps of the Saudi Arabian Shield on Sept. 11 during the Central Asia-West Asia Mining Investment Promotion Conference at the 2026 China International Mining Conference. Led by the China Geological Survey, the project represents a major milestone in China-Saudi geoscience cooperation and…
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China Unveils First AI Systems for Geological Mapping and Mineral Prospecting
China’s Ministry of Natural Resources on Sept. 11 unveiled the AI-GeoMapping and AI-OreSeeking systems at the 2026 China International Mining Conference, marking the first global release of the two platforms. Developed independently by the China Geological Survey, the systems apply artificial intelligence across the full workflows of basic geological surveying and mineral exploration evaluation. The…
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China Establishes Unified Standards for GNSS Radio Occultation
China has approved four recommended national standards covering the full technical chain of GNSS radio occultation, from spaceborne sensing payloads to data processing and exchange, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China said Sept. 11. The standards were developed under the coordination of the China Meteorological Administration and are intended…
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China’s First Open Shared TT&C Platform for Commercial Space Begins Operations in Beijing
China’s first open shared platform for commercial space tracking, telemetry and command (TT&C) services officially began operations Aug. 19 in Beijing, supporting the full measurement and control process for the launch of a Honghu-03 satellite and the recovery of a reusable rocket booster. The Beijing Rocket Street Commercial Space Intelligent TT&C Center, located in Beijing…
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China Marks 666th Long March Flight with Six Remote-Sensing Satellites
China launched six remote-sensing satellites aboard a Long March 4B rocket Sept. 10, marking the 666th flight of the Long March family and adding new spacecraft for scientific experiments, land-resource surveys, agricultural monitoring and disaster reduction. The Long March 4B ignited at 5 p.m. Beijing time at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center and deployed Yaogan-53…
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From Precision Landings to Rapid Turnaround: Key Technologies Behind Reusable Rocket Engines
With the successful recoveries of the Long March 10B and Zhuque-3, rocket recovery and reuse have become one of the hottest topics in the space industry. Yet the real value lies not in the dramatic moment of recovery, but in the underlying economics: reducing the cost per launch by reusing high-value components. As the most…
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China’s New Communications Plan Elevates Satellite Networks in the 6G Roadmap
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has called for deeper integration between satellite networks and terrestrial communications systems, including satellite-to-phone connectivity, satellite Internet of Things services and the coordinated development of an integrated space network. The requirements are part of China’s Information and Communications Industry Development Plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, issued…
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Why Was the Rocket Unscathed After Being Struck by Lightning?
On July 24, China successfully launched the Tianlian II-06 satellite aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. During its ascent, lightning flashed near the rocket, creating a spectacular scene. A rocket had barely lifted off when it was suddenly struck by lightning, sending electrical arcs scattering across its body in…
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China Advances Tianwen-3 Mars Sample-Return Mission Toward 2028 Launch
China has moved hardware for its Tianwen-3 Mars sample-return mission into prototype development, maintaining plans for two Long March 5 launches in late 2028 and the return of approximately 500 grams of Martian material to Earth around 2031. If successful, the mission would complete the first direct return of samples from Mars and could give…