26 February 2021
CASC announced on 24 February that it plans to conduct the maiden flight of the CZ-6A carrier rocket before the end of this year. The rocket, developed by SAST in Shanghai will be able to serve different orbits. Featuring modular designs and flexibility, the rocket will be able to conduct a wide variety of launch missions and will be economically attractive to clients, designers said. Despite being called CZ-6A, the new rocket will be very different from the CZ-6, which was also designed and built by the Shanghai Academy.
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18 February 2021
Following the publication of the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI)’s latest report “New Space in Asia – Experts views on space policy and business trends in Asian countries”, the Science, Technology and Innovation Governance (STIG) programme of The University of Tokyo will organise a special workshop on “New Space in China”, co-hosted by ESPI, on 9 March 2021.
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24 February 2021
Tianwen 1 entered its parking orbit on 24 February at 6:29 BJT. The orbital parameters are 280 km by 59,000 km. It will take Tianwen 1 about two Martian days to complete one orbit. The Mars probe will remain in orbit for the next 3 months (approximately). All of the seven mission payloads on the probe's orbiter will be gradually activated to carry out scientific tasks and also to observe and analyse the landforms and weathers of the optimal landing site. The medium-resolution camera, high-resolution camera and spectrometer will carry out a detailed investigation on the topography and dusty weather of the pre-selected landing area in preparation for a landing.
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23 February 2021
The National Museum of China announced on 23 February that it would exhibit the lunar samples brought back by the Chang'e 5 probe. The samples arrived at the museum on 22 February and the exhibition is under preparation, according to the museum. They are preserved in a delicate container made of artificial crystal.
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24 February 2021
The 3rd group of Yaogan-31 remote sensing satellites was sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre on 24 February, at 10:22 BJT. The satellites were carried by a CZ-4C rocket. Having entered their planned orbits, the satellites will be used for electromagnetic environment surveys and other related technology tests.
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23 February 2021
Compared to GPS, the Beidou satellite navigation system is more visible from near-Earth space – and may be more of a beacon for spacecraft – according to a new study. Researchers from the National Space Science Centre in Beijing found that a spacecraft travelling at or below an altitude of 2,000 km would be able to see 50 % more Beidou satellites than those from the Global Positioning System at any given time.
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