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Andrew Jones

@andrewjonesspace.bsky.social
3K followers 680 following 730 posts

Freelance journalist mainly tracking Chinese space activities. Correspondent at SpaceNews, also bylines at Spacedotcom, IEEE Spectrum and more.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
After engine hot fire test and funding round earlier this year, Spark Space recently completed tests on a first-stage oxidizer tank. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/70DTDK9pFO...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Yet another new Chinese launch company. Heng Space, led by a former chief designer from CALT, wants to develop 25 and 100 tonnes to LEO launchers. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/FmfOasNmDM...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
HKOR 100 kg robot for the Chang'e-8 mission from Hong Kong.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Galactic Energy earlier this year presented a chopsticks at sea recovery plan for its Pallas-2 (20-58 tons to LEO) rocket.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Looks like Chang'e-8, related payloads, and possibly China's wider moon program, are undergoing changes. This follows a merger seeing China's human spaceflight agency, already in charge of crewed lunar efforts, take control of robotic Chang'e missions, formerly overseen by CNSA.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Mission update: START passed and expert review in July and they're now building the spacecraft. Mass increased to 300kg, starting orbit will be 500 km, flying on a Zhuque-3 in early 2028.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
At 0200 UTC today Galactic Energy's first Pallas-1 rocket lifted off from Jiuquan and successfully reached orbit. No stated payload, no first stage recovery attempt this time, but a big moment and step forward for the company. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mIAV8gstTY...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Tianwen-2 arrived at Kamo'oalewa nearly two months ago, and no updates since. Thankfully, space exploration historian Phil Stooke uncovered a few more pics from CNSA from the first encounter in early July. Hopefully an update soon.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Shenzhou-23 astronauts Yangzhu and Zhang Zhiyuan competed a 5.5-hour EVA at 0359 UTC today. Tasks included external repair of Tiangong's solar panels and installation of space debris protection devices. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/OhnTIhrVw5...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
The Chang'e-7 lunar south pole mission has been postponed into 2027, the China Manned Space Engineering Office, which also oversees the robotic program, has announced. Typically, no info given on next ideal launch window. www.cmse.gov.cn/xwzx/202608/...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Meanwhile, at Wenchang, the Long March 5 rocket to launch the Chang'e-7 lunar south pole landing mission is being rolled out.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Statement from Landspace. Successful booster recovery and Honghu 03 satellite sent into orbit. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/PPoU06ctr4...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Successful VTVL landing for Landspace with Zhuque-3 Y2. China's second second successful orbital booster recovery.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
A Long March 7A rocket that lifted off from Wenchang around 12:00 UTC today carrying an unknown payload exploded around 85 seconds into the flight. www.youtube.com/live/GBj4IB6...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
The Long March 5 rocket to launch the Chang'e-7 lunar south polar landing mission has arrived at Wenchang spaceport. Launch could occur around late August. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kBXwck7GNe...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Onboard view of descent and views of the capture.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
CASC confirms orbit was successfully achieved (unnamed satellite) and plans to reuse the first stage by the end of the year. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/cNqvOWxkwm...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
This is big: China just launched the Long March 10B and caught the first stage out at sea with a net recovery system. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/8VpyAMwNaV...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
And another new asteroid! Here's Torifune, captured during yesterday's flyby by Hayabusa2. www.jaxa.jp/press/2026/0...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Tianwen-2 had arrived. Here's asteroid Kamo'oalewa seen from 20 km away www.xinhuanet.com/20260706/eb8...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
Launch 47: A Long March 8A lifted off at 1343 UTC today from Hainan commercial launch centre, sending the Qianfan polar group 15 LEO comms satellites into orbit. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Mp7Spec1o2...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
This was China's 46th launch of 2026, following the Long March 4B launch of Haiyang-2E from Jiuquan on July 1.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Liaoning province wants to establish a commercial marine rocket launch base, following the example of Shandong's Haiyang sea launch setup. www.ln.gov.cn/web/zwgkx/zf... via mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ExPOjuvJ5J...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
Tianwen-2 sample return mission is expected to arrive at the near Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa tomorrow (July 4) at a distance of ~20 kilometres. Hopefully we'll also see the first images of the asteroid very soon. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/97RjX0XCVs...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
iSpace completed sea training for its recovery barge using a mock Hyperbola-3 first stage in mid-late June in waters off Yangjiang, Guangdong province. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/R6yxSYx9Yj...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Second Zhuque-3 launch and first stage recovery attempt is in the post.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Qingzhou-1 cargo spacecraft to be launched in early 2027, docking with Tiangong space station. Results from experimental Qingzhou-1 launch released. www.cas.cn/cm/202606/t2...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
Mengzhou crew spacecraft airdrop test out of a Y-20 transport aircraft. The first orbital flight for Mengzhou could come later this year on the Long March 10A.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Tiangong expansion: China to launch the Xuntian space telescope to co-orbit with Tiangong in 2027. Further plans to expand the space station from T-shape to X or "干" shape (from 3 to 6 modules), facilitated by launch of 20-tonne multi-function module. content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/in...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Dual vertical assembly buildings for the Long March 10 -- two separate launches of which will be used to send Chinese astronauts to the Moon. Construction to be completed before the end of the year. m.weibo.cn/detail/53108...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
A Long March 3B lifted off at 0945 UTC today from Xichang satellite launch centre, successfully inserting the Shijian-31 spacecraft into orbit. The satellite is "mainly used for space environment exploration." mp.weixin.qq.com/s/t7F_am7KiM...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
A quick, vague but authoritative update on Tianwen-2. As earlier thought, the spacecraft will arrive at Kamo'oalewa in July (expected July 4, according to prior info). No info on the burn we anticipated (and tracked by AMSAT-DL) on June 7.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
A Long March 5 lifted off at 0730 UTC today from Wenchang spaceport, successfully inserting the classified experimental TJS-25 satellite into orbit. The next CZ-5 will be the launch of the Chang'e-7 lunar landing mission in August. m.spacechina.com/n2014789/n20...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Cosmoleap announces progress on its Qingyu-11 150-tonne-class methane-liquid oxyge engine, with torch ignition, cryogenic and fluid flow tests. Aiming for hot-fire tests in second half of the year. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/F15ALetEXb...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Long March 5 rolled out at Wenchang today. Launch on June 10.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Tianwen-2 launched just over a year ago and is expected to perform a burn tomorrow (June 7) Beijing time, setting up a rendezvous with the small, rapidly-spinning asteroid Kamo'oalewa.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Well, this was wild. The first Long March 12B rocket lifted off at 0840 UTC today from Dongfeng test zone at Jiuquan. No warning, and carrying Qianfan constellation satellites straight off the bat. Successfully reached orbit, but no recovery test today. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/3OfILgO9Zu...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Looks like we've got ourselves a random, no-warning debut launch of the reusable Long March 12B rocket on our hands
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
SparkSpace, China's first electric pump-fed engine rocket startup, has secured nearly 100m yuan ($14.7m) in pre-A funding (total funding to date ~$30m). Aiming for 1st flight of Jinhua-1 rocket in 2027 (27.5m long, 1,500 kg to LEO). mp.weixin.qq.com/s/LSwO1fjEij...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Shenzhou-22 undocked from Tiangong space station at 0644 UTC today, with Shenzhou-21 astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang aboard. Airspace closure notices indicate landing at the Dongfeng landing zone ~1200 UTC. www.cmse.gov.cn/xwzx/202605/...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 16/05/2026
Shenzhou-23 and its Long March 2F rocket have been rolled out to the pad at Jiuquan. Crew to be revealed a day ahead of launch, possibly including an astronaut from Hong Kong
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Huh. Sun Yat-sen university did a short hop test with the Yixian-3 reusable rocket.
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
The Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft lifted off on a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang at 0013 UTC today and docked with the Tiangong space station at 0511 UTC, China's human spaceflight agency confirms. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/voy7Zny3tz...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Tianzhou-10 cargo spacecraft and its Long March 7 rocket rolled out to the pad at Wenchang today. Launch expected ~0014 UTC May 11. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ltO1euc4TX...
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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Reentry occurred at 2349 UTC May 6, according to CMSEO. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/wVZT4XT3y0...
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