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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 8h

China’s Shenlong spaceplane has reportedly demonstrated repeated satellite rendezvous and recapture operations. Tracking data indicate the spacecraft released, pursued and apparently recovered the same satellite multiple times between June and September. (No actual images of Shenlong exist.)

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 9h

China’s sea-based rocket launches are becoming more frequent, boosting its commercial space sector. Recently, Gravity-1 launched nine satellites from waters off eastern China, setting records for payload mass and orbital altitude in a sea-based launch.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 9h

The second Long March 10 launch platform is taking shape at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site in Hainan, China. The platform will support China’s crewed lunar missions under the country’s Moon exploration program.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 17h

The Shenzhou-23 crew on board China's orbiting space station Tiangong on October 1 extended their greetings to the motherland and the Chinese people in celebration of the 77th anniversary of founding of the People's Republic of China.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 18h

A peek inside LANDSPACE's Zhuque factory.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 18h

Four months into their Tiangong mission, the Shenzhou 23 crew remain busy in orbit—conducting space exposure experiments, testing new technologies, studying changes in perception and decision-making, and carrying out station maintenance and health checks.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

📡 Just over 10 years ago, on September 25, 2016, China’s FAST radio telescope was completed in Guizhou. The world’s largest single-dish radio telescope has since explored pulsars, galaxies and interstellar matter. 🌌 Ten years on, FAST’s journey of discovery continues!

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Even in orbit, China’s National Day was marked this week aboard the space station. Chinese astronauts delivered messages celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China — a reminder that the country’s celebrations reached beyond Earth, into space. (Dubbed)🌏🌌🛰️

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

LandSpace release some stunning photos of Zhuque-2E engines and fairing.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Spotted in Wenchang, LANDSPACE’s veteran Zhuque-3 hopper is now on static display. The prototype has been used for testing technologies related to the company’s reusable rocket program, offering a glimpse of the hardware behind China’s growing commercial launch sector.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The joint ESA–China SMILE mission X-ray camera also captured images of supernova remnant in Large Magellanic Cloud and Cassiopeia A

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

On 23 September, the European-Chinese SMILE mission was declared ready for science operations, after launching on 19 May and reaching its target orbit on 20 June. The mission will study how Earth responds to the charged particles carried by the solar wind.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Launch facility testing at The Hainan Commercial Spacecraft Launch Site in Wenchang pad #3

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

China’s CAS has completed the Critical Design Review for Qingzhou, a new cargo spacecraft being developed to reduce resupply costs for the Tiangong space station. The design is now locked in, following orbital testing of a prototype earlier this year.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Celebrating Mars New Year, as the Red Planet begins another 687-Earth-day journey around the Sun. Featuring images from the surface and orbit, courtesy of China’s Tianwen-1—the first mission to successfully deploy a lander, rover and orbiter on Mars.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

LandSpace release some stunning photos of Zhuque-2E engines and fairing.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Launch facility testing at The Hainan Commercial Spacecraft Launch Site in Wenchang pad #3

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The joint ESA–China SMILE mission X-ray camera also captured images of supernova remnant in Large Magellanic Cloud and Cassiopeia A

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

First data from LIA, the Light Ion Analyser aboard the European-Chinese SMILE mission. Switched on 30 June, its two sensors measure solar-wind particles and their energies, helping track the Sun’s assault on Earth’s magnetic defence. This graph shows measurements from 11 August.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A look back at Tianwen-1’s Mars imagery from orbit, as China works toward a global geological map of Mars. Expected by late 2028, the map could support a new Martian chronostratigraphic scheme and efforts toward international consensus on Mars’ geological timeline.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Chinese startup Z-TRAK SPACE is developing Fission, an Electron-class reusable small launcher powered by 9 Tron-001 methalox engines. Each produces 3.2t sea-level thrust and throttles to 18% for landing. Fission targets 450kg to LEO, or 200kg reusable.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

ORIENSPACE accelerates its rocket engine testing program: fresh footage shows another extended hot-fire trial of the Yuanli-110 kerolox engine, designed for the reusable Gravity-2 launcher.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

China plans to complete a new global geologic map of Mars by 2028, using Tianwen-1 data plus U.S./ESA observations. It will reconstruct Mars’ watery past, introduce a Chinese geologic time scale and use AI to map everything from minerals to tectonic units.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Hainan’s commercial spaceport has completed the main construction of its Phase II expansion and begun integrated rehearsals. The new complex adds two general-purpose liquid launch pads designed for two-stage rockets under 5m in diameter. Both are targeting launch capability by year-end.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

ORIENSPACE accelerates its rocket engine testing program: fresh footage shows another extended hot-fire trial of the Yuanli-110 kerolox engine, designed for the reusable Gravity-2 launcher.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

🚀 Pad 301 is taking shape! Installation of the crew access arm has begun on the service tower for the Long March 10 (CZ-10) lunar rocket, marking another step forward in preparations for China’s next-generation lunar launch system. 🌕

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

You can’t let your grooming slide during a 6-month expedition aboard a space station. That’s why an orbital barbershop—equipped with specialized vacuum clippers—is an absolute necessity in microgravity.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Best wishes for CZ 10 progress! And congrats to the American taxpayer! Thanks to NASA subsidies and contracts for Starship, Elon has once again been able to deliver 26 more Starlink V3 satellites to low Earth orbit today. Nothing says “lunar exploration” quite like subsidised satellite delivery. 🚀

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

🚀 CAS-SPACE targets Q1 2027 for the maiden flight of its reusable suborbital system, Lihong-2, carrying automated pharmaceutical payloads. Orbital-class Lihong-3 is planned for 2028, supporting 300+ kg of in-space manufacturing payloads for up to 1 year.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

SEPOCH's XZY-1 test vehicle was spotted being transported in Xinjiang. Destination unclear. The engine bay has been replaced, with 9 engines installed.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

~$34.5M for a dedicated Long March 8A launch—roughly half the price for half the payload capacity of a Falcon 9. The figure comes from the Chinese Academy of Sciences document shown here, for the eXTP X-ray observatory. Targeting a January 2030 launch. 🚀🛰️

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

AZSPACE completed thermal-vacuum testing of its DEAR-6 and DEAR-11 spacecraft. The ~1,400 kg commercial space station prototype will launch on Kuaizhou-11 from Jiuquan, carrying ~600 kg of payloads for microgravity science, space biology, life science and advanced materials.

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Looking back at this weeks - Long March 6A Y13 - Lifting off at 08:46 UTC on September 24, placing the YaoGan-40 group 04 into orbit from Taiyuan. #China #SatellitesLaunch

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

China’s Tiangong Space Station crosses in front of Jupiter in this remarkable astrophotography shot. Just hundreds of kilometres above Earth, Tiangong appears in front of Jupiter, a world hundreds of millions of kilometres away. Captured by 沈老思347

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Looking back at this weeks - Long March 6A Y13 - Lifting off at 08:46 UTC on September 24, placing the YaoGan-40 group 04 into orbit from Taiyuan. #China #SatellitesLaunch

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

#Shenzhou23 crew members Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying have been in orbit for four months. This marks the fifth Mid-Autumn Festival celebrated aboard China’s space station. #ChinaSpaceMission

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China Space Watch @chinaspace.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Mid-Autumn Festival greetings from space! The Shenzhou-23 crew aboard Tiangong sent greetings from 400 km above Earth. "Though the Earth is far away, our hearts are always beating in sync with our motherland and closely connected with the people of our country," said Zhu Yangzhu.

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