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  • China and the Moon

    On January 4 2019, China became the first nation in the world to land a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon. The Chinese said that this accomplishment was not motivated by an imaginary “Asia space race,” or to obtain bragging rights in the international space community. The China Lunar

  • China Achieves Full Global Satellite Coverage

    On 23 June 2020, China launched the final satellite from its Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) to be part of the BeiDou-3 constellation. The liftoff took place at 09:43 local time using a Long March-3 rocket as the launch vehicle. This marks the final piece in China’s first true Global

  • Parsing Chinese Perspectives on the U.S. Space Force

    On 20 December 2019, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2020 and established a sixth branch of the armed forces – the United States Space Force (USSF). On 14 January 2020, General Jay Raymond was formally sworn in as the inaugural Chief of Space

  • Overview of the PLA Air Force’s Integrated Air & Space Strategy

    This paper examines the “integrated air and space capability” 1 (kongtian yiti / 空天一体) component of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force’s (PLAAF) first ever service strategy, which was implemented to coincide with the PLAAF’s 10th Party Congress in May 2004 and represented a major milestone

  • The Real Stakes in the New Space Race

    "America is only dipping its toe into the pool of the future, while China is already swimming furiously away."Read the full article at: https://warontherocks.com/2019/08/the-real-stakes-in-the-new-space-race/

  • Why Creating A Space Force Changes Nothing

    An interesting perspective on militarized space from Foreign Affairs:https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/space/2019-03-26/why-creating-space-force-changes-nothing

  • China Opens a New Page in Lunar Exploration

    On January 3 at 10:26 AM Beijing time, China’s Chang’e-4 (嫦娥四号) spacecraft, housing the 140 kilogram Yutu-2 (玉兔-2) rover, set down in the polar region on the far side of the Moon. This high-risk, challenging mission has never before been attempted by any space agency. The non-Earth facing side of

  • China's super-sized space plans may involve help from Russia

     Full report and graphics: https://www.popsci.com/china-russia-space-rocketLong March 9LONG MARCH 9The Long March 9, when it flies around 2030, will be one of the world's largest space rockets, aimed at lunar and Martian missions.CCTV 1China recently provided the clearest look yet at one of the

  • China's hypersonic military projects include spaceplanes and rail guns

      Full report and graphics: https://www.popsci.com/chinas-hypersonic-work-speeds-upThe nation is focusing its research and development on tech that moves faster than the speed of sound.TENGYUNThe Tengyun spaceplane, first flight scheduled around 2020, will benefit from Chinese research into

  • Here's China's plan to compete with SpaceX and Blue Origin

     Full report and graphics: https://www.popsci.com/chinas-2020-plan-for-reusable-space-launchPrivate companies want to launch reusable space rockets in 2020.LONG MARCH 8The Long March 8, scheduled to start flying in 2020, has a completely reusable first stage, with powered descent for the core, and

  • Is China's space laser for real?

     Full article and graphics: https://www.popsci.com/china-space-laserIt's not a Death Star super laser. It's a space broom.IT'S NOT THIS.China's space broom isn't the Death Star super laser. It's an orbiting satellite with a laser only powerful enough to heat up pieces of space junk, so that they

  • China shot down another missile in space

     Full report and graphics: https://www.popsci.com/china-space-missile-testLike a hypersonic bullet hitting another hypersonic bullet.A HIT!On February 5, during the Chinese midcourse ABM test, the interceptor hit the target missile in space. Pictured here: the exhaust plumes from the DN-3 rocket

  • China could become a major space power by 2050

     Full article and graphics: https://www.popsci.com/china-space-power-plansPlans include launches, robotic moon bases, and interplanetary manned missions.SPACEPLANEThe China Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation notes that its single-stage-to-orbit hypersonic spaceplane will be ready for service

  • China's future satellite navigation will be millimeter-accurate

     Full report and graphics: https://www.popsci.com/china-beidou-3-satellite-navigation-systemThe Beidou 3 will guide military munitions and drones.BBEIDOU LAUNCHThe Beidou satellite is usually launched by LM-3 space launch vehicles.by78China's military is updating its satellite navigation system,

  • Exponential industrialization of space

    Strategic Clarity:  Exponential industrialization of space is more important than combat lasers and hypersonic fightersThis author takes the same position as the Air University Space Horizons