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. m.weibo.cn/detail/52632...

These zones indicate this spaceplane (now all but confirmed thanks to a non-labelled satellite image from the company now known as Vantor, ex-Maxar) is making a 4th flight on yet another should-be-weird-looking Long March 2F. And again we are unlikely to get public info of it.

Quite a moment. Artemis 2, Long March 10A with Mengzhou, and Starship V3 all undergoing preparations, all with big implications for lunar ambitions.

Mengzhou now atop the CZ-10A low-altitude test stage.

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.

Mengzhou in-flight abort test at maxQ coming in February, it seems

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 in Europe, due to ground tracks & reentry estimates.

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. www.cmse.gov.cn:8081/pub/trspoll/...

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.

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" major resource project) - Space tourism - Space-based digital infrastructure - STM

Water deluge system test for a lunar crewed landing mission pad at Wenchang spaceport. Via Douyin/dyums21210av.

Shenzhou-20 landed safely at 0134 UTC today, with a patched up debris-damaged window. Shenzhou-23, which will provide emergency backup to the crew currently aboard Tiangong , has arrived at Jiuquan, with its CZ-2F launcher following soon.

Video of the ~20 second Long March 12B static fire.

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 satellite was lost after a 3rd stage anomaly. The debut launch of the solid Ceres-2 from Jiuquan at 0408 UTC Jan. 17 also failed.

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 is methalox.

The Shenzhou-20 crew appeared at a presser today, 63 days after landing in SZ-21. Astronauts discovered a triangular crack in SZ-20's return module window during a final pre-return check. Chen Dong sent images to Earth, triggering China's 1st human spaceflight emergency response.

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, 45° orbits. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-hSL8lWkhe...

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.

An interesting start to what will likely be a year of more than 100 launches from China.

Images of the first Lihong-1 flight from CAS Space. Parachute for capsule worked, stage landed successfully. Fight carried the microgravity laser additive manufacturing recoverable scientific experiment payload ( LAM-MG-R1) from CAS institute of mechanics mp.weixin.qq.com/s/v-nDF-0XGR...

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. content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/in...

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.

Landspace has had its IPO application accepted by the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company is seeking to raise 7.5 billion yuan (~US$1 bn). This follows a Dec. 26 decision to ease IPO rules for commercial rocket companies in China. wap.eastmoney.com/a/2025123136...

Galactic Energy's Pallas-1 is almost ready for its first fight.

China has a record of releasing some epic deep space imagery around its national day (Tianwen-1 below) and new year's day. Let's see if we'll get something new tomorrow from Tianwen-2 as it heads for asteroid Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3). And have a great New Year's Eve, everyone!

Perseverance continues science mission amid uncertainty about Mars Sample Return NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is continuing its mission to collect samples despite uncertainty about how, when or even if those samples will be returned to Earth.

Two launches for China within the last day. A Long March 8A lifted off at 2326 UTC Dec. 25 from Hainan carrying Guowang sats, & at 1607 UTC today (Dec. 26), a Long March 3B lifted off from Xichang carrying the Fengyun-4C weather sat. 90 launches in 2025. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/jXFhqkTV-y...

Another rocket debut coming up: the Vega C-class Ceres-2 solid rocket from Chinese startup Galactic Energy is set for launch from Jiuquan at ~0400 UTC Dec. 27.

The state of this reentry and descent of the Long March 12A is something to behold. But despite this failed attempt, the key point is that Chinese reusable launchers are coming.

Long March 12A reaches orbit in first reusable launch attempt, but landing fails A first launch of the Long March 12A Chinese state-owned reusable rocket reached orbit late Monday, but attempted recovery of the first stage downrange failed.

Launch success confirmed.

Meanwhile, first fight of Hanbit-Nano from South Korean company Innospace came to a fiery end shortly after launch. youtu.be/1bwxWcym32I?...

Another launch video of CZ-12A. Awaiting official reports, but reportedly reached orbit, first stage landing failed.

Liftoff m.weibo.cn/detail/52469...

Launch window open. No live stream, being a CASC attempt. We'll have to wait for unofficial and official news.

Long March 12A set for debut launch and landing attempt early tomorrow. ~2 hour launch window opens 0154 UTC Dec. 23 (8:54 pm EST Dec. 22) according to airspace closure notice.

1/n 2 NEW epic images of Phobos over Mars just released by @esa.int Mars Express This view is especially striking, with Phobos between the Tharsis volcanoes and Noctis Labyrinthus–Valles Marineris Full resolution 300MP(!) & info on: flic.kr/p/2rMW4so Credit: ESA/DLR/FUBerlin/AndreaLuck CC BY 🧪🔭

A Long March 5 lifted off at 1230 UTC today, successfully sending the TJS-23 experimental communications satellite into orbit. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/R8F0Pz-bCQ...

Live views of a Long March 5 set to launch from Wenchang weibo.com/l/wblive/m/s...

It's Friday, it's almost the holidays, but you remember there's still a load of Chinese launches still to come...

Rumour is that the second Zhuque-3 is scheduled for April 2026. Below: grid fins retrieved grim the wreckage of the Zhuque-3 Y1 landing attempt.

Turns out there were two male mice launched on the DEAR-5 cargo spacecraft for neuroscience research. Spacecraft is planned to operate in orbit for one year and is not rated for reentry, so it's game over at some point for the rodents. Video is prelaunch. news.sciencenet.cn/htmlnews/202...

Hainan commercial spaceport aims to host 20-30 launches in 2026. A quick count shows 8 so far this year. news.cctv.com/2025/12/17/A...

Long March 12A first flight delayed. New date TBA.

And another: Beijing Linghang Xingjian Technology Co., Ltd., planning xingzhou-1 (starship-1/star vessel-1) fully reusable "AI-assisted" launcher with "intelligent net/grid recovery". Very early stage, only conceptual claims, very ambitiously aiming for 2027 debut fight. Wild.

Two weeks on from Zhuque-3, we'll get China's 2nd orbital launch and landing attempt, this time by the Long March 12A from state-owned CASC. Airspace closure notices indicate a launch window of 0154 - 0414 UTC, Dec. 17.

Long March 12 launch at 2300 UTC Dec. 11 was successful. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kK6OdoTh2s...

China's 84th orbital launch attempt of 2025 coming up in just over an hour at ~2300 UTC from Hainan. This time, a Long March 12, likely carrying the 16th group of Guowang satellites. Possible stream: live.bilibili.com/23118988?liv...