https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/509737/feed The China National Space Administration was founded more than 25 years ago and is overseeing an ambitious programme which includes deep space exploration, a manned space station, and cutting-edge advancements in technology, new materials, robotics and artificial intelligence. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Over several decades, China has risen to become one of the most potent powers in the space race. In October 2024, China released a national mid- and long-term development programme for space science. Since then, China has made significant strides. In 2025, it conducted 92 space... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3370278/us-china-space-race-heats-watch-out-patent-law https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3370278/us-china-space-race-heats-watch-out-patent-law Mon, 12 Oct 2026 03:30:05 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong Future settlers on Mars would need houses, but they must either spend huge sums transporting construction materials from Earth or use enormous amounts of energy to melt Martian soil into bricks. Scientists in Hong Kong say they have developed a quick and low-cost “living” building material made from genetically engineered yeast, gelatin and sand that can be 3D printed under conditions simulating the Martian environment. Their study, published online last month in Chem Circularity, an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3368830/mars-shelter-problem-can-be-solved-engineered-yeast-gelatin-and-sand-paper https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3368830/mars-shelter-problem-can-be-solved-engineered-yeast-gelatin-and-sand-paper Sun, 04 Oct 2026 04:00:07 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying A remote-sensing camera aboard China’s Tiangong space station that was developed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has released its first images of the city ahead of the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The university published a series of videos and photos on Wednesday captured by the Musico camera, saying they showcased the major achievements of the Hong Kong research team’s participation in the national space programme. Professor Zhang... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3369355/chinas-tiangong-space-station-camera-captures-first-images-hong-kong https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3369355/chinas-tiangong-space-station-camera-captures-first-images-hong-kong Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:47:44 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Chinese researchers are drafting standards for autonomous satellite coordination and data sharing in a move analysts say could speed up military targeting and make People’s Liberation Army satellite networks more resilient. An expert panel convened by the Chinese Institute of Command and Control (CICC) in Beijing on September 21 approved work on 10 proposed voluntary standards, clearing the way for draft texts to be released for consultation. In an account of the meeting published last Thursday,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369099/can-chinas-new-satellite-coordination-standards-boost-pla-targeting-and-resilience https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369099/can-chinas-new-satellite-coordination-standards-boost-pla-targeting-and-resilience Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:00:09 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China plans to complete a geological map of Mars by the end of 2028, as its space rivalry with the United States intensifies. Hou Zengqian, chief scientist of China’s next Mars mission known as Tianwen-3, on Monday said the map would cover the entire surface of the red planet and it aimed to be the global standard for the Martian geological ages. State news agency Xinhua reported that the map would be the first AI-driven geological map of Mars and would be an important part of preparations for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3369127/china-reveals-plan-map-entire-surface-mars-2028-amid-race-us https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3369127/china-reveals-plan-map-entire-surface-mars-2028-amid-race-us Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:20:42 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong’s first astronaut has delivered a Mid-Autumn Festival blessing to residents from outer space, expressing her deep affection and longing for her home city. “Looking at the moon from here and looking down at the Earth, I increasingly miss my family and friends in Hong Kong,” Lai Ka-ying said in a Mandarin speech recorded aboard China’s Tiangong space station. “On this occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, I wish people across the country good health and a happy family, as well as a happy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3368768/hong-kong-astronaut-lai-ka-ying-sends-mid-autumn-festival-wishes-residents-space https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3368768/hong-kong-astronaut-lai-ka-ying-sends-mid-autumn-festival-wishes-residents-space Fri, 25 Sep 2026 05:48:05 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin Chinese researchers have tested a new way for spacecraft to navigate in deep space, putting a concept funded by Nasa into practice and paving the way for the country’s planned mission to Jupiter in 2030. Known as stellar aberration navigation, the approach uses tiny shifts in the relative position of stars to work out how fast a probe is moving and in what direction, allowing autonomous real-time navigation without constantly relying on tracking and commands from Earth. In a low-Earth-orbit... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3368292/china-gets-closer-jupiter-mission-bringing-nasas-starnav-concept-life https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3368292/china-gets-closer-jupiter-mission-bringing-nasas-starnav-concept-life Mon, 21 Sep 2026 14:02:19 +0000 Wency Chen,Ben Jiang Wency Chen,Ben Jiang As technological developments augur an era of renewed space exploration, China is aiming to become a major player. In the second part of this two-part series, Wency Chen and Ben Jiang examine the country’s strategy and progress on reusable rockets – a field where the US has a tremendous lead. US commercial space firm SpaceX has been eager to tout its deployment of reusable first-stage rocket boosters, claiming to have flown more than 600 missions with the cost-cutting launch components. Despite... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3367874/china-has-gained-pace-space-race-recovering-rockets-can-it-relaunch-one https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3367874/china-has-gained-pace-space-race-recovering-rockets-can-it-relaunch-one Thu, 17 Sep 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Wency Chen,Mia Nurmamat Wency Chen,Mia Nurmamat As technological developments augur an era of renewed space exploration, China is aiming to become a major player. In the first part of this two-part series, Wency Chen and Mia Nurmamat examine how the southern island province of Hainan is betting on a growing aerospace cluster to rewrite its economic playbook beyond tourism. On Hainan’s northeastern coast, launch towers rise abruptly from a flat landscape of coconut palms and open sky. At Pad 1 of the commercial spaceport in Wenchang, an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/policy/article/3367752/chinas-rocket-boom-turns-hainan-space-hub-can-launches-fuel-wider-growth https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/policy/article/3367752/chinas-rocket-boom-turns-hainan-space-hub-can-launches-fuel-wider-growth Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States has weapons deployed in space, the US Space Force said on Monday, confirming the presence of such capabilities in orbit for the first time. “The US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action,” a US Space Force spokesperson said in a statement that did not provide specifics on the weapons. “Space control encapsulates the mission areas required to contest and control the space domain – employing kinetic and non-kinetic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3367513/us-has-weapons-deployed-orbit-space-force-says-offensive-and-defensive-use https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3367513/us-has-weapons-deployed-orbit-space-force-says-offensive-and-defensive-use Mon, 14 Sep 2026 21:10:34 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial China’s growing achievements in aerospace technology continue to instil pride and patriotism, even more so in Hong Kong with the city’s first astronaut now on board the orbiting Tiangong space station. The historic live interactive lecture by Lai Ka-ying and her fellow crew members on the “celestial palace” on Wednesday was more than a one-off occasion for students to catch a glimpse of life and research in space. Sustained by the right policy drive, the fervour can turn into a lasting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3367168/hong-kong-astronaut-can-help-propel-citys-science-and-tech-ambitions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3367168/hong-kong-astronaut-can-help-propel-citys-science-and-tech-ambitions Sat, 12 Sep 2026 23:15:05 +0000 Kristen Cheung,Edith Lin,Eric Jiang Kristen Cheung,Edith Lin,Eric Jiang Hong Kong’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, will deliver a live lesson from space to students and teachers at her alma mater on Wednesday morning, with the 90-minute event broadcast to campuses across the city and streamed live on television. Lai and her two fellow Shenzhou-23 crew members – mission commander Colonel Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan – will take part in the “Tiangong Class” at Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College. Representatives from the youth sector and innovation and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3366850/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-lai-ka-ying-delivers-live-lesson-space https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/education/article/3366850/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-lai-ka-ying-delivers-live-lesson-space Wed, 09 Sep 2026 02:45:29 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, will deliver a live lecture from space to students and teachers at her alma mater on Wednesday morning, with the session also to be broadcast to pupils across the city and neighbouring Macau. According to an Education Bureau notice sent to all primary and secondary schools on Tuesday, Lai and her two fellow Shenzhou-23 crew members – mission commander Colonel Zhu Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan – will take part in the “Tiangong Class” at Tsuen Wan Public Ho... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3366760/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-give-live-space-lecture-students-wednesday https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3366760/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-give-live-space-lecture-students-wednesday Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:36:25 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen Chinese rocket maker Galactic Energy has successfully sent its Pallas-1 medium-to-large reusable rocket into orbit, marking the latest milestone in Beijing’s drive to develop reusable launch capabilities and narrow the gap with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The two-stage, liquid-propellant rocket lifted off at 10am on Tuesday from a self-built launch pad at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre’s commercial pilot zone in northwestern China’s Gansu province before entering its designated orbit, according to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3365964/pallas-1-sees-chinas-galactic-energy-join-reusable-launch-push-closing-spacex https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3365964/pallas-1-sees-chinas-galactic-energy-join-reusable-launch-push-closing-spacex Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen As China ramps up its efforts to build an orbital data ecosystem and counter the US in the commercial space race, Shanghai – home to several major domestic players – has kicked off an inaugural space-computing forum alongside a new industry hub. The dedicated centre in the city’s southwestern Songjiang district, unveiled at the forum on Sunday, brought together aerospace developers, semiconductor makers, artificial intelligence specialists, cloud vendors, as well as researchers and investors to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3365839/china-us-space-race-heats-shanghai-unveils-space-computing-hub https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-war/article/3365839/china-us-space-race-heats-shanghai-unveils-space-computing-hub Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:30:13 +0000 Zhonghua Sheng Zhonghua Sheng On the morning of August 19, LandSpace’s Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket lifted off from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Test Area. After deploying its second stage and payload into orbit, the rocket’s first stage touched down softly at a recovery site in Gansu province using deployable landing legs. It was China’s first successful land-based recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster that had just completed an orbital mission – a feat previously achieved only by SpaceX. Just over a month earlier,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3365219/reusable-rocket-milestone-opens-door-hong-kongs-space-ambitions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3365219/reusable-rocket-milestone-opens-door-hong-kongs-space-ambitions Sun, 30 Aug 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump on Friday announced the creation of a “Space Academy” to train future civilian and military recruits for an arena where the United States faces rivalry with China. Speaking at Nasa’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Trump said the institution would be modelled on the famed US military academy at West Point. “It’s called the US Space Academy. That’s a big deal,” Trump said as he signed an executive order creating the new school. “It’ll serve both the United States Space... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365667/trump-orders-creation-us-space-academy-amid-rivalry-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365667/trump-orders-creation-us-space-academy-amid-rivalry-china Fri, 28 Aug 2026 19:07:43 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Beijing-based GalaxySpace’s deployed what it called China’s first turnkey satellite export to Southeast Asia this week, underscoring the country’s efforts to boost its influence in the space industry overseas amid competition with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. GalaxySpace said it launched the Lingzhi-09 Thailand CubeSat aboard a Long March-6C rocket – alongside six other satellites – from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province on Tuesday. Developed for Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3365534/chinas-commercial-space-sector-expands-global-footprint-thailand-deal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3365534/chinas-commercial-space-sector-expands-global-footprint-thailand-deal Fri, 28 Aug 2026 05:00:12 +0000 Wency Chen Wency Chen For generations, Wenchang, on Hainan’s northeastern coast, was better known for coconuts, its namesake chicken and the emigrants who left for Southeast Asia in search of a living. Now the rhythms of life here have been altered, gradually and then all at once, by China’s space programme. Wenchang Space Launch Site staged its first launch in 2016. Since then it has become one of the country’s top name-cards for rocket launches. I was near the site over the weekend, excited to witness the planned... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3365209/moon-mission-delay-hiccup-chinese-rocket-city-wenchang-remains-march https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3365209/moon-mission-delay-hiccup-chinese-rocket-city-wenchang-remains-march Tue, 25 Aug 2026 12:30:17 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Ten years ago, Dai Zheng made a career-defining gamble: he left his secure, prestigious engineering post in China’s state space programme to join an unproven private start-up. On August 19, that risk paid off when a rocket booster returned from orbit and landed upright for the first time in Chinese commercial space history. For Dai, now chief commander of the Zhuque-3 missions at LandSpace, the successful touchdown marked both a major personal milestone and a critical leap forward in China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3365091/meet-dai-zheng-space-veteran-betting-chinas-reusable-rocket-revolution https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3365091/meet-dai-zheng-space-veteran-betting-chinas-reusable-rocket-revolution Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:30:09 +0000 Wang Wen Wang Wen There is no shortage of Western commentary on US President Donald Trump’s second term. What’s missing is an honest account of how 1.4 billion of us in China see it – or at least how China’s officials and scholars do, since that’s who I can speak for here. I’ve spent a decade watching that view change, from real alarm in 2017 to something closer to a shrug today. Four things now count as consensus among Chinese scholars. One, Trump is undermining America’s alliance system. His first term rattled... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3364449/chinas-view-trumps-america-has-changed-alarm-shrug https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3364449/chinas-view-trumps-america-has-changed-alarm-shrug Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A greenhouse gas monitoring instrument developed by a university in Hong Kong is operating successfully aboard the Tiangong space station and is expected to contribute to sustainable development, the city’s technology minister has said. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong also revealed more details in a blog post on Saturday about the life of the city’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, who he said had a busy schedule at the space station. The Multi‑Spectral Imaging Carbon... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3364930/hong-kong-built-greenhouse-gas-tracker-device-functioning-well-space-station https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3364930/hong-kong-built-greenhouse-gas-tracker-device-functioning-well-space-station Sat, 22 Aug 2026 11:22:40 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China has approved its first private-sector commercial trial for satellite Internet of Things (IoT) services, granting a permit to a Geely-backed venture as part of broader efforts to open the country’s burgeoning satellite communications market to private capital. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) granted Zhejiang Geespace Technology, the commercial space subsidiary of electric vehicle giant Geely, a two-year trial period, according to a notice published on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364781/china-clears-geely-landmark-satellite-iot-test-spur-commercial-space-sector https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3364781/china-clears-geely-landmark-satellite-iot-test-spur-commercial-space-sector Fri, 21 Aug 2026 06:00:19 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial In windswept Minqin county, Gansu province, this week, a stainless-steel booster touched down, marking a reusable rocket breakthrough. LandSpace’s successful recovery of the first stage of its Zhuque-3 rocket is more than a mere engineering milestone for China; it signals the nation’s official entry into the competitive era of reusable space flight. For years, the global space economy has been monopolised by American tech billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Now, Beijing is no longer content to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3364666/space-race-heats-chinas-momentum-undeniable https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3364666/space-race-heats-chinas-momentum-undeniable Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang In a record funding round for China’s satellite internet sector, domestic start-up SpaceSail has raised around 7 billion yuan (US$1 billion) to accelerate the buildout of a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) network designed to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink project. Known officially as Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, the operator of China’s Qianfan constellation completed its Series B round on Monday, according to a notice published on the website of the Shanghai United Assets and Equity... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3364654/armed-funding-boost-spacesail-accelerates-chinas-push-rival-elon-musks-starlink https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3364654/armed-funding-boost-spacesail-accelerates-chinas-push-rival-elon-musks-starlink Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:00:29 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China-based LandSpace successfully launched a Zhuque-3 rocket and recovered its first stage, a breakthrough in the nation’s efforts to develop reusable boosters that can slash the cost of space launches. The first stage of the 66-metre (217-foot) rocket touched down in Minqin County, Gansu province, northwest China, on Wednesday after an eight-minute flight that delivered a Honghu-3 internet satellite into space. Take-off occurred 390 km (242 miles) away at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3364562/china-joins-musks-spacex-reusable-rocket-breakthroughs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3364562/china-joins-musks-spacex-reusable-rocket-breakthroughs Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:11:24 +0000 Ling Xin,Victoria Bela Ling Xin,Victoria Bela In a global first, leading Chinese commercial rocket company LandSpace has recovered a stainless-steel booster after an orbital launch, marking a major step in the country’s efforts to develop lower-cost, reusable rockets. Previous reusable boosters deployed in such launches have been made from aluminium alloys, which can be more expensive to develop due to higher design and raw material costs. China is also the first country to succeed in orbital launch recovery down distinct technological... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3364492/chinas-landspace-beats-spacex-steel-booster-recovery-after-orbital-launch https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3364492/chinas-landspace-beats-spacex-steel-booster-recovery-after-orbital-launch Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:28:33 +0000 Tang Meng Kit Tang Meng Kit There is something about the speed of consensus on China’s rocket failures that should give us pause. Within hours of Long March-7A rocket’s disintegration over the South China Sea on August 10, trade reports were pointing to an engine as the likely culprit. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) had said nothing of the kind. An official Xinhua report about three hours after the launch described only “a flight anomaly” and an investigation under way. The cause is unknown,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3364147/chinas-space-race-has-new-problem-finding-room-failure https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3364147/chinas-space-race-has-new-problem-finding-room-failure Mon, 17 Aug 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A 73-year-old Chinese female entrepreneur has recently become the 22nd passenger of the domestically developed spacecraft CYZ1. On August 8, Huang Xiaochi was officially designated as passenger No 022 for CYZ1, a project by the commercial space start-up InterstellOr. Huang is scheduled to embark on a suborbital mission aboard the spaceship in 2028, reaching the Kármán line, the widely recognised boundary of Earth’s atmosphere where outer space begins, allowing her to view Earth from that vantage... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3364058/ex-factory-worker-and-engineer-make-history-one-chinas-first-space-passengers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3364058/ex-factory-worker-and-engineer-make-history-one-chinas-first-space-passengers Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Ling Xin,Holly Chik Ling Xin,Holly Chik The rare failure of China’s Long March-7A rocket on Monday – which resulted in the loss of a communications satellite – has prompted questions over whether it was an isolated operational setback or a systemic problem. While space experts caution against immediately linking the incident to China’s rapidly increasing launch cadence, the ongoing investigation will determine if the event was caused by a localised technical anomaly or deeper systemic vulnerabilities within the Long March rocket... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363574/chinas-long-march-7a-rocket-explodes-after-launch-satellite-lost https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363574/chinas-long-march-7a-rocket-explodes-after-launch-satellite-lost Mon, 10 Aug 2026 16:09:01 +0000 Han Li Han Li A Chinese researcher’s vision of serving spicy crawfish soup to astronauts on Mars became an unlikely symbol of Washington’s growing anxiety over China’s scientific ambitions at a US Senate hearing on Tuesday. Drew Endy, associate professor at Stanford University and director of bio-strategy and leadership at the Hoover Institution, said that last autumn he met a 20-year-old Chinese researcher from Shanghai at a scientific conference in Paris. Dressed in a large red crawfish costume, the young... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361395/crawfish-soup-mars-fears-over-chinas-scientific-ambitions-raised-senate-hearing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361395/crawfish-soup-mars-fears-over-chinas-scientific-ambitions-raised-senate-hearing Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:19:45 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial In technology, you don’t have to be the first, you just have to be competitive. China is now the second nation on Earth to achieve the controlled recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster, after successfully retrieving part of a Long March-10B rocket. By challenging the reusable launch monopoly held by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, China will give his business a run for its money. And it wasn’t even a copycat move. Unlike the American land-based system, the Chinese rocket recovery used its own unique... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3360760/its-innovative-rocket-recovery-china-makes-strides-space-race https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3360760/its-innovative-rocket-recovery-china-makes-strides-space-race Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:15:09 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin China is developing an early warning system to spot asteroids that might smash into the Earth, according to the scientist leading the national mission. China planned to deploy multiple telescopes on the ground, alongside a constellation of satellites in orbit, state-run Science and Technology Daily quoted Li Mingtao, chief scientist at the asteroid monitoring and early-warning research centre under the China National Space Administration, as saying. None of the asteroids that had been discovered... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3360783/china-building-early-warning-system-spot-earth-smashing-asteroids https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3360783/china-building-early-warning-system-spot-earth-smashing-asteroids Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin China’s successful recovery of a reusable rocket has sparked debate among aerospace experts over whether its unconventional approach could actually cut the cost of reaching space. On Friday, the country’s Long March-10B became the first orbital-class rocket outside the United States to return to Earth and be recovered intact. The rocket’s first-stage booster deployed four hooks as it descended and was then caught by a giant net on a ship waiting in the South China Sea. SpaceX and Blue Origin do... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3360553/china-used-giant-net-land-reusable-rocket-does-idea-have-legs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3360553/china-used-giant-net-land-reusable-rocket-does-idea-have-legs Tue, 14 Jul 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China’s controlled seaborne recovery of a rocket booster using a net-capture vessel last week proved the viability and virtues of its state-led aerospace efforts, experts said, contrasting it with the market-focused approach adopted by America’s SpaceX. They also said Beijing was convinced that keeping the state, rather than a private company, at the helm of its space programme was a more secure, resilient and deliverable way to win a space race that had more than commercial interests at stake... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3360394/one-giant-leap-state-how-chinas-aerospace-vision-differs-elon-musks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3360394/one-giant-leap-state-how-chinas-aerospace-vision-differs-elon-musks Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:00:11 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Paul Buck Brian Rhoads,Paul Buck China has become just the second country after the United States to achieve the controlled recovery of a reusable orbital space rocket. Friday’s successful capture at sea of the booster stage of a Long March-10B rocket after its maiden launch used a novel technique different from that of Elon Musk’s recently listed SpaceX and previous Chinese attempts. Instead of landing using extendable hydraulic legs, the rocket stage used its engines to position itself over a floating platform in the South... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3360369/china-joins-us-reusable-orbital-rocket-capability https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/science/article/3360369/china-joins-us-reusable-orbital-rocket-capability Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Themis Qi Themis Qi To challenge the global launch market dominance of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Beijing is adopting a coordinated, multi-company “wolf-pack” strategy fuelled by recent engineering breakthroughs in reusable rocketry. The milestones come as a wave of aerospace firms push to secure the capital needed to scale operations and capture global market share. According to exchange filings in Shanghai and Hong Kong, at least 15 commercial aerospace companies were now in the pipeline to go public. Among the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3360351/new-space-race-how-china-plans-break-spacexs-launch-monopoly-ipo-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/companies/article/3360351/new-space-race-how-china-plans-break-spacexs-launch-monopoly-ipo-push Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:30:11 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat After China became only the second nation after the US to achieve the controlled recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster, the spotlight has fallen on the domestic shipbuilder behind the design of the recovery platform. Following the maiden launch of China’s reusable Long March-10B rocket on Friday, the vehicle’s first-stage booster returned vertically and was caught by the Linghangzhe recovery platform, China’s first sea-based rocket recovery vessel to use a net-capture system. The platform... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3360338/chinas-historic-sea-based-rocket-recovery-puts-spotlight-domestic-shipbuilder https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3360338/chinas-historic-sea-based-rocket-recovery-puts-spotlight-domestic-shipbuilder Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s Hayabusa2 fly-by of Torifune marks a leap in asteroid defence, showcasing the country’s growing space prowess and “goodwill science” role vital for protecting Earth from cosmic threats. The space probe, named after the Peregrine falcon in Japanese, successfully flew within 800 metres (0.5 miles) of the asteroid, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on July 5. JAXA said Hayabusa2 performed as expected and responded to all instructions from land-based mission control, about... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3360222/nasa-knows-how-deflect-asteroid-can-japans-hayabusa2-pull-it https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3360222/nasa-knows-how-deflect-asteroid-can-japans-hayabusa2-pull-it Sun, 12 Jul 2026 04:00:06 +0000 Victoria Bela,Ling Xin Victoria Bela,Ling Xin China on Friday became only the second nation in history to achieve the controlled recovery of an orbital-class rocket booster, after successfully retrieving part of its Long March-10B reusable rocket during its maiden launch. Unlike the methods pioneered by Elon Musk’s US-based SpaceX, the Chinese rocket achieved the first-ever use of a unique sea-based net-capture system for a more adaptable recovery. The Chinese rocket also offers a new reusable path to space flight, as Beijing doubles down... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3360069/china-recovers-long-march-10b-reusable-rocket-maiden-launch https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3360069/china-recovers-long-march-10b-reusable-rocket-maiden-launch Fri, 10 Jul 2026 04:37:28 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft has captured its first close-up image of a near-Earth asteroid, revealing that the target is even smaller than anticipated – a factor scientists say will make the sample-return task “far more difficult” than previous Japanese and American missions. The probe captured images about 20km (12.4 miles) from asteroid 2016 HO3 during its approach phase, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced on Monday. It was close enough for the spacecraft to begin... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3359617/chinas-asteroid-hunter-closes-target-after-400-day-trip-though-size-surprise https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3359617/chinas-asteroid-hunter-closes-target-after-400-day-trip-though-size-surprise Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung A state-of-the-art greenhouse gas monitoring instrument spearheaded by a Hong Kong university has officially commenced operations aboard China’s Tiangong space station, following its successful installation by the city’s first home-grown astronaut, Lai Ka-ying. The Multi-Spectral Imaging Carbon Observatory (Musico) – often dubbed the “Eye for Space” – will remain in orbit for at least two years, according to Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), which led the development of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3359487/hong-kong-developed-eye-space-now-operating-aboard-tiangong-space-station https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3359487/hong-kong-developed-eye-space-now-operating-aboard-tiangong-space-station Sun, 05 Jul 2026 12:49:32 +0000 Dannie Peng Dannie Peng China has tested a desert moss that may one day be used to colonise Mars by reviving it inside a mini space laboratory, state broadcaster CCTV said on Monday. The plant, a highly drought-resistant species called Syntrichia caninervis, was revived after being subjected to a series of extreme space conditions – including microgravity, intense radiation and severe dehydration – showing it is remarkably resilient in space, according to the report. Chinese scientists had previously established in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3358789/china-says-desert-moss-suited-mars-it-tests-hi-tech-tools-space-and-astronauts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3358789/china-says-desert-moss-suited-mars-it-tests-hi-tech-tools-space-and-astronauts Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Chow Chung-yan Chow Chung-yan Some may feel a lump in their throats as they watch Hong Kong’s first astronaut, Lai Ka-ying, make history, but few see it as anything more than an inspirational story for our youth. In reality, space, which can feel lofty and far away to pragmatic Hongkongers, could hold the key to our city’s economic future. In my previous column, we discussed why Hong Kong represents China’s best chance to build an alternative global maritime insurance system, but also why that remains mission impossible for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3356657/can-hong-kong-make-giant-leap-commercial-space-insurance https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3356657/can-hong-kong-make-giant-leap-commercial-space-insurance Wed, 17 Jun 2026 01:00:05 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s first astronaut is expected to chat with residents from the lofty heights of the Tiangong space station in the next two months, the city’s technology minister has said. Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong also said on Sunday that Hong Kong could formulate a new strategy to better align with the country’s aerospace development. “I hope that within the next month or two, we can arrange a public dialogue with Lai Ka-ying,” he told a radio programme, referring to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3357045/hongkongers-get-chance-talk-citys-first-astronaut-next-2-months https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3357045/hongkongers-get-chance-talk-citys-first-astronaut-next-2-months Sun, 14 Jun 2026 06:12:00 +0000 Coco Feng,Minxiao Chang Coco Feng,Minxiao Chang This is part of a series on the global impact of SpaceX’s historic IPO, tracing how mainland Chinese investors’ strategies, the Hong Kong market and wider capital flows are being reshaped by Elon Musk’s trillion-dollar rocket gamble. In 2016, a SpaceX rocket carrying a satellite blew up during a test, destroying on-board equipment and surrounding facilities worth millions of US dollars. Fortunately, the satellite operator, Israel’s Space Communications, had an insurance policy worth almost... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3356718/who-pays-when-rockets-explode-china-insures-spacexs-rivals-orbital-race-against-us https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3356718/who-pays-when-rockets-explode-china-insures-spacexs-rivals-orbital-race-against-us Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:30:07 +0000 Ken Chu Ken Chu Hong Kong’s first astronaut may have travelled into space, but the significance of the moment extends far beyond the mission itself. Lai Ka-ying became our first home-grown astronaut to reach space, as part of China’s Shenzhou-23 mission to the Tiangong space station, marking a historic milestone for the city and its role within the country’s scientific ambitions. For many, the moment naturally evokes pride and excitement. Yet, beyond science and national achievement, this milestone may also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3355945/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-shows-world-different-side-city https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3355945/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-shows-world-different-side-city Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China has given Russia some of the first soil samples collected on the far side of the moon by the Chang’e-6 lunar lander. On June 3, 1.5 grams (0.05 ounces) of lunar soil collected during the mission were handed over to the Planetary Physics Department of the Russian Space Research Institute. “The transfer of the soil samples took place as part of the development of cooperation in space science and lunar exploration between Russia and China,” the institute said. “Researchers will study the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3356512/china-delivers-first-samples-collected-far-side-moon-russian-scientists https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3356512/china-delivers-first-samples-collected-far-side-moon-russian-scientists Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:00:20 +0000 Daryl Ng Daryl Ng Becoming an astronaut and exploring space has been the dream of generations of young people and Hong Kong has welcomed this pioneering moment. Dr Lai Ka-Ying, who studied computer science at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has become the first astronaut from Hong Kong, and the fourth female astronaut from China, to journey into space. As a payload specialist, she will operate the observatory designed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to track greenhouse gas... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3355588/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-success-also-story-youth-potential https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3355588/hong-kongs-first-astronaut-success-also-story-youth-potential Thu, 04 Jun 2026 01:30:06 +0000 Yogi Putranto Yogi Putranto For decades, Asia’s ambitions in outer space were closely associated with scientific discovery, technological prestige and national symbolism. Space programmes were designed to demonstrate engineering capability, economic modernisation and geopolitical influence. Today, outer space is undergoing a deeper transformation. It is no longer viewed merely as a frontier for exploration; increasingly, it is seen as a strategic domain tied to sovereignty, economic security and geopolitical... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3354897/asias-newspace-economy-about-more-just-exploration https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3354897/asias-newspace-economy-about-more-just-exploration Tue, 02 Jun 2026 01:30:06 +0000