Chinese Space Program

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKEjUifHLOo


China has just launched TJS-15, the latest in a classified satellite series, sparking global speculation. While officially labeled as a “communication technology experiment satellite,” many believe it could be designed for military surveillance, missile detection, or space intelligence. This is the 14th active TJS satellite, reinforcing China’s expanding presence in space.The launch comes as China accelerates its space program, with major upcoming missions like the Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return, Tiangong space station expansion, and new commercial rocket launches. What does TJS-15 mean for global security and the future of space?
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Regards,
 
The reporter learned from the University of Science and Technology of China on March 20 that Pan Jianwei, Peng Chengzhi, Liao Shengkai and other scientific research teams at home and abroad cooperated with a number of scientific research teams at home and abroad to realize real-time satellite-to-ground quantum key distribution between quantum micro-nano satellites and miniaturized and movable ground stations for the first time in the world, and realized up to 1 million bits of secure key sharing during a single satellite pass, and established a quantum key at a distance of more than 12,900 kilometers between China and South Africa, completing the encryption and transmission of image data "one at a time". It paves the way for the practical application of satellite quantum communication networking.
 
SUPER=BUG said:
It looks like there's a new creature coming to the Tiangong space station----- and it's planarians.View attachment 763951View attachment 763952View attachment 763953
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First picture looks like a mutant flatfish/flounder - where is SPCA International when you need them? But seriously, folks, is there any way to keep the nondemocratic Chinese (and while we're at it, also the Russians) out of outer space for good? Asking for a dear Western European friend...
 
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Official graphics showing the planning of Tianwen 2 (May 2025, rendez vous with 2016HO3 in 2026, sample return in 2027, rdv with 311P in 2033), 3 (late 2028, return in mid 2031) and 4 (2029, arrival at jupiter in 2035, at Uranus in 2045)

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The Jupiter half of the probe will eventually orbit Callisto and send penetrator probes that will impact the surface.
In the 2030s, NASA's Europa clipper will focus on Europa, ESA's Juice on Ganymede and Tianwen 4 on Callisto.

Earlier this month, CNSA sent calls for international experiment rideshare on Tianwen 3, up to 20kg of scientific payloads will be caried on both the Earth sample return orbiter and the interplanetary cruise stage of the lander-ascender. It is considered as a sign that the CNSA is confident in the mission and its launch date.

A presentation by the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (one of the main organisation working on the Tianwen program) of the main upcoming "flagship" planetary missions, the later ones haven't received approval yet.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1904778023896760724
View: https://x.com/AJ_FI/status/1904778023896760724


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-2030: project to build a laboratory modeling the habitability of the environment of other planets.

-2033: Venus atmospheric sample return, it was already outlined in a recent decadal survey; it may also be a consolidation of a couple previous chinese venus mission proposals, it is still unknown if it will only sample the upper atmosphere from low orbit or if it will reenter into the middle atmosphere, the goal of searching for microorganisms makes it seem like the later but the timeline would certainly be extremely ambitious.

-2038: This seems to be the mars equivalent of ILRS, similarly to it, the station is likely to be initially uncrewed.

-2039: A recent ambitious proposal for a Neptune-Triton orbiter with atmospheric balloon,
https://twitter.com/x/status/1905041716509294653
View: https://x.com/AJ_FI/status/1905041716509294653
, it would notably be launched on a direct trajectory by a super heavy launcher. Note that this isn't the first chinese proposal for a Neptune mission, and is certainly not set in stone.

This isn't an exhaustive list of chinese deep space missions, the Chinese Academy of Science is working on the Solar Polar Orbit Observatory, a chinese equivalent to the old ESA-NASA Ulysses mission, while CNSA and the DSEL are working on an asteroid redirect mission comparable to NASA's DART planned for 2027
 
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So we have some (advertise) spec for JZYJ upcoming FFSC methalox engine. This company is purely engine manufacturer, whose open cycle methalox engine the Longyun-70 is adopted by many of Chinese space start up and even used by state institution like SAST for their methalox reusable rocket hopper.
https://x.com/raz_liu/status/1906550136496599093
Specs of JZYJ's FY100V Methane/Lox engine.
Cycle: FFSC
Thrust sea-level: >127t
ISP sea-level: >325s
Thrust Vac: >150t
ISP Vac: >370s
Weight: <1000kg
via: tieba
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https://x.com/raz_liu/status/1906601569581244745
Specs of JZYJ's FY200V Methane/Lox engine.
Cycle: FFSC
Thrust sea-level: >300t
ISP sea-level: >328s
Thrust Vac: >330t
ISP Vac: >370s
Weight: <2000kg
via: tieba
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Now let see if they can deliver…
 
Celestial has just put out a video about whether or not China is the next space super-power:


From moon bases to Mars missions, China’s space program is booming. With cutting-edge tech, global alliances, and bold ambitions, is China set to outpace the U.S. in the final frontier?
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The Shenzhou 20 spacecraft and its CZ-2F launcher have been transported to the launch pad at Jiuquan Space Center ahead of a crew rotation launch to Tiangong currently planned for April 24th.
The crew will be announced 1-2 days before launch. The shenzhou 19 crew is expected to return to earth on May 1st
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In other news, Landspace announced the assembly of the test model of the 1st stage of their Reusable Medium-Heavy launcher Zhuque-3, it is expected to do a static fire (at a dedicated facility, thought to be in Shandong) to qualify the design ahead of the inaugural launch currently planned for the 2nd half of the year.

Landspace announced that later versions of this launcher will be able to launch up to 21.8t of payload to low earth orbit, however the first version,with less powerful engines, will only be able to launch 9.4t to low earth orbit.

GoqoHBdWIAAridI.jpg Zhuque3.png
 
We already were suspecting GW constellation to have some classified reconnaissance and target tracking capabilities
Intelligence provided to Taiwan by an undisclosed allied country indicated that China Coast Guard vessels are validating functionalities of GuoWang satellite constellation which designates targets for DF-26 ballistic missiles supporting future PLA rocket force strikes against both Taiwan and US allied forces operating in the Western Pacific
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1915202747210539359
View: https://twitter.com/luritie/status/1915202747210539359
 
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Succesful launch at 09:17 UTC of Shenzhou 20 carrying astronauts (from left to right)
王杰 Wang Jie (born in 1989), 3rd group, 1st flight, former engineer at CASC. He notably worked on the Xuntian telescope.

陈东 Chen Dong (bon 1978), 2nd group, commander who has already flown on Shenzhou 11 and 14, he is likely to become the chinese astronaut with most time spent in space by the end of this mission

陈中瑞 Chen Zhongrui (born 1984), 3rd Group, 1st Flight, former Air Force pilot and instructor.

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China's national space agency announced on Thursday it would let scientists from the U.S. and allied countries analyse rocks it retrieved from the moon, Beijing's latest move to increase the international influence of its lunar exploration programme.
The announcement highlights how U.S.-China cooperation in some areas like space has not completely ended, despite tensions between the two countries over geopolitics and tariffs.
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https://www.reuters.com/business/ae...rocks-nasa-funded-us-universities-2025-04-24/
 
The Guowang constellation adopts a layered design and dynamic management technical scheme, dividing the satellites into core layers, intermediate layers, and user layers. The core layer is responsible for communication and management with ground control stations; the intermediate layer is responsible for communication and data forwarding with other satellites; and the user layer is responsible for communication with ground users and services, effectively enhancing the flexibility and reliability of the network, achieving adaptive scheduling and optimization between different layers. The "GW" constellation can carry various payloads, including broadband communication, laser communication, synthetic aperture radar, optical remote sensing, etc., to meet the needs of different users and scenarios. It will provide comprehensive technical support in fields such as maritime navigation, aviation, information security, navigation positioning, meteorological research, etc., while also opening up global satellite internet access markets.
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In a world first, Chinese scientists have been able to find a satellite using an infrared laser during the daytime. The approach was able to find the Tiandu-1 satellite at a distance of about 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) from Earth, well beyond where most satellites are located. The satellite and its twin are, in fact, orbiting the Moon.


The laser was sent from a station on Earth, bounced off a retroreflector device on Tiandu-1 (a test satellite for lunar communication and navigation), and reached Earth again in less than a second, where it was seen by the 1.2-meter telescope at the Chinese Academy of Science's Yunnan Observatories. The Academy compares the achievement to hitting a single hair from 10 kilometers (6 miles) away.
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https://www.iflscience.com/chinas-n...000-kilometers-away-even-during-the-day-79072
 
Okay, lets find an article from someone who doesn't get so snippy about me using ad blockers because of the effects of being neurodivergent and having autoimmune disease and having mitochondrial dysfunction ...

Hmm, did not know Sustainability Times existed, & if I'd only heard their name, I would not expect them to be in to space news.

https://www.sustainability-times.co...uns-scientists-and-ignites-global-space-race/
Precision and Mastery: The Art of Satellite Laser Ranging

Satellite laser ranging is considered the gold standard for determining satellite orbits with pinpoint accuracy. The process involves firing nanosecond pulses from ground stations, which bounce off retroreflectors on spacecraft and return to reveal the distance down to centimeters. While this technique is routine for low-Earth satellites, the challenge multiplies when dealing with the Earth-Moon distance, especially under daylight conditions. China’s recent success in overcoming solar background noise to achieve accurate measurements during daylight expands the limits of this technology significantly.

This remarkable precision is likened to “aiming at a sub-millimeter target—essentially a single hair—from over 6.2 miles away.” By achieving such accuracy, China can now gather orbital data whenever the Tiandu-1 satellite passes within view, enhancing the frequency and reliability of measurements. This development is crucial for the planned Queqiao constellation, which aims to provide continuous communications and navigation support for various lunar missions.
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Expanding the Horizons of Earth-Moon Links

With the success of the daylight laser ranging experiment, DSEL plans to extend daytime trials to longer ranges and higher repetition rates. This advancement will integrate more seamlessly into routine deep-space operations, enhancing the reliability of Earth-Moon links. The experiment follows the successful 2024 launch of Chang’e-6, which returned soil samples from the Moon’s far side, underscoring the importance of robust communication and navigation systems in space exploration.

Beyond laser technology, China is exploring other innovative solutions to support its lunar ambitions. The CNSA anticipates the need for a comprehensive space-traffic management system to handle the estimated 100,000 satellites in low Earth orbit by the decade’s end. In collaboration with Russia, China is also evaluating nuclear reactors and alternative power sources for the International Lunar Research Station under the Chang’e-8 mission.
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The "Four Heavenly Kings" classified GEO satellites launched in less than 3 months
TJS-15, Satellite patch: Virūpākṣa, King of the west and the one who sees all/Snake as his symbolic weapon"
TJS-16, Satellite patch: Dhṛtarāṣṭra, King of the east and the one who upholds the realm/Pipa as his symbolic weapon"
TJS-17, Satellite patch: Vaiśravaṇa, King of the north and the one hears everything/Umbrella as his symbolic weapon"
TJS-19, Satellite patch: Virūḍhaka, King of the south and the one who causes good growth of roots/Sword as his symbolic weapon"
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https://spacenews.com/china-adds-to-classified-tjs-yaogan-satellite-series-with-two-launches/ 1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg GqxdHFNXkAEL87X.jpg
 
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China’s Effort to Build a Competitor to Starlink Is Off to a Bumpy Start
Of the 90 satellites that Qianfan has launched, 13 seem to have exhibited irregular behavior, namely they didn’t rise up to their target orbit height along with their peers. Qianfan’s second batch, which it launched in October 2024, contained only five satellites that reached their planned height out of 18. these satellites are not necessarily dead—some could be dormant, waiting for better positioning opportunities—but overall, Qianfan’s satellites clearly underperform compared to others. While Starlink started with about a 3 percent failure rate, it has since gone down to less than 0.5 percent. OneWeb with over 600 satellites, contains only two failed ones that are stuck in space.
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ITU requires firms to launch their first satellite within seven years of reserving the spectrum, then steadily make progress toward completing their launches within seven years after that. If they don’t, they may have to scale back their intentions. Those requirements could soon become a serious problem for both Guowang and Qianfan.
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There’s one serious bottleneck that’s plaguing both projects right now: rocket availability. Qianfan has put out two public procurement requests this year for rocket suppliers but declared them both failures because they didn’t receive enough bidders. While there are several Chinese commercial companies working on developing reusable rockets, none are ready for prime time. “It's possible that in the next couple of years we'll start to see that that bottleneck get resolved, but it's also possible that it remains a pretty substantial bottleneck
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https://twitter.com/x/status/1924758620891140144
View: https://x.com/BassonBrain/status/1924758620891140144
 
SUPER=BUG said:
Tianwen-2 is expected to be launched on May 29.
View attachment 771380
This is the first time that China has carried out a sample return mission for near-Earth asteroids.
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I think Tianwen 2 has circular solar panels according to recent renders
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A nice recap article: https://www.cite-espace.com/actualites-spatiales/tianwen-2-la-chine-vise-un-asteroide-et-une-comete/

China Aims for a Double Play
The Tianwen-2 probe is set to launch on May 29 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. This decade-long mission has an ambitious dual objective: collecting samples from a unique near-Earth asteroid and then exploring a comet in the main asteroid belt. As part of China’s solar system exploration program, this mission promises to provide insights into the origins of our planetary system and the distribution of water.

Act One: Rendezvous with an Asteroid​

Kamoʻoalewa: An Exceptional Near-Earth Asteroid​

Tianwen-2’s first target is the near-Earth asteroid designated 2016HO3, also known as Kamoʻoalewa. This object is a quasi-satellite of Earth, orbiting in a path similar to our own. Kamoʻoalewa holds significant scientific interest because it may have undergone minimal changes since the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Its quasi-satellite orbit makes it relatively accessible from Earth, but its physical characteristics pose technical challenges. With an estimated diameter of just 40 to 100 meters, Kamoʻoalewa has extremely weak gravity. Additionally, it rotates rapidly, completing a full spin every 28 minutes.

Kamoʻoalewa: A Fragment of the Moon?​

Why such interest in such a small body? Kamoʻoalewa is particularly intriguing because it may be a fragment of the Moon, ejected during an impact. This piece could have originated from the Giordano Bruno crater on the Moon’s far side. If confirmed, analyzing the samples would allow scientists to study material ejected from a mid-sized impact and directly link it to its source crater. This would also improve our understanding of impact physics.
Beyond fundamental research, studying Kamoʻoalewa has implications for planetary defense. Its size is comparable to the object responsible for the 1908 Tunguska event. Understanding its structure and cohesion is crucial for future asteroid deflection strategies. In this regard, Tianwen-2 would complement U.S. missions like DART or Hera, set to launch in October 2024 [NTL: And China's upcoming asteroid divert mission set for 2027-29]

Touch-and-Go and Anchoring​

One of Tianwen-2’s primary tasks at Kamoʻoalewa is sample collection—a first for China. The probe is expected to gather between 100 grams and 1 kilogram of material. To overcome the challenges posed by the asteroid’s weak gravity and rapid rotation, Chinese engineers have devised two methods. The first is a "touch-and-go" maneuver, similar to those used by Japan’s Hayabusa2 and NASA’s OSIRIS-REx. The second, more daring approach involves robotic arms equipped with drills to anchor into the rock—akin to the Philae lander’s attempt. This would mark the first time such an anchoring method is used on an asteroid.
Once samples are collected, the probe will return to Earth to release the sample capsule around 2027-2028. The capsule will enter Earth’s atmosphere and be slowed by a supersonic parachute—another first for Chinese engineers. A mid-air helicopter recovery is planned to prevent contamination.

Act Two: Exploring 311P/PANSTARRS​

A Hybrid Comet in the Main Belt​

After delivering the samples, Tianwen-2 will use Earth’s gravity to slingshot toward its second target: the comet 311P/PANSTARRS. Located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, this object exhibits hybrid characteristics of both an asteroid and a comet. Its activity—possibly due to impacts or the release of volatiles—remains a mystery.
The study of 311P/PANSTARRS, expected to be reached around 2033-2034, will help classify this new family of objects and determine their water content. The presence of ice in the asteroid belt is a key clue in tracing the origin of Earth’s water. Orbiting between 398 and 555 million kilometers from the Sun, it will be the most distant object ever studied by a Chinese probe at that time.

A Cutting-Edge Scientific Arsenal​

Objectives and Instruments​

To achieve these goals, the probe carries a total of 11 scientific instruments, including eight remote-sensing devices. These include cameras (color, navigation, multispectral, hyperspectral) and spectrometers (visible/infrared, thermal) to analyze composition and surface features—particularly water and organic compounds. The probe is also equipped with a laser detector, a ground-penetrating radar (a first for an object of this size, capable of probing internal structure), a magnetometer, and particle and dust detectors—one of which was developed in collaboration with Russia.
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Payloads list:
Payloads.jpg

The probe weights ~2 tons and is built by the CAST subsidiary of CASC. Launch is expected today at 17:31 UTC
 

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