Tag: Lijian-2
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China prepares cargo, crew, and deep space missions, as commercial sector steps towards reusability
China is preparing to launch both cargo and crew missions to its Tiangong space station, as a new cargo freighter is tested in low-Earth orbit and new designs are revealed to expand the orbiting outpost. Celebrating 70 years since the foundation of its space program this year, China is also advancing plans for deep space…
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China debuts new launchers, tests orbital servicing and outlines future deep-space missions
CAS Space and Space Pioneer have both debuted new Chinese commercial launchers within days of each other, with more set to follow. Meanwhile, China conducted its first commercial demonstration of a robotic arm designed for in-space refueling, and outlined plans for future deep-space missions, including an asteroid redirection test and updated details of its crewed…
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China prepares to launch uncrewed Shenzhou as maiden launches slip for commercial launch providers
China is preparing to launch an uncrewed Shenzhou spacecraft as its astronauts shuffle missions following damage to the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, while the Tiangong station prepares to greet its first international visitor in 2026. Meanwhile, commercial launch providers continue to make progress toward maiden launches, though a number have slipped into early next year. Furthermore, a…
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China accelerates toward lunar goals as reusability programs gain momentum
China has conducted two spacewalks from its Tiangong space station in as many months and is advancing on its lunar exploration plans with a successful pad abort test of its crewed Mengzhou capsule. Meanwhile, an experimental spacecraft has made advances in in-space refueling. Meanwhile, the next generation of reusable Chinese commercial rockets, many of which…
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Chinese launch cadence accelerates, Tianwen-2 prepares for launch
This month has seen the launches of three different commercial Chinese rockets, and the return-to-flight of a rocket that last flew in mid-2021. China has also begun deploying the world’s first space-based computing satellite constellation. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for China’s second interplanetary mission — a milestone two-part journey to return samples from an asteroid…
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China Roundup: Tiangong cargo supply contracts awarded; Shenzhou’s 25th anniversary
This week’s Tianzhou 8 mission has delivered supplies to the three taikonauts who recently arrived at the Tiangong Space Station on the Shenzhou 19 mission. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has announced two commercial contracts to service the station with cargo resupply missions in the future via two new vehicle designs. Meanwhile, progress continues…
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China Roundup : Next generation liquid propellant rockets and pads prepare to debut
Despite another relatively quiet month for launches, progress in the Chinese commercial space sector continues at pace. Two companies are progressing towards performing 10km hop tests of their prototype reusable vehicles and the race is on to become China’s first rocket to reach orbit and propulsively land its first stage. The first batch of satellites…