04 March 2018
Two Chinese companies are competing to build a planetary mobile broadband internet service based on low-orbiting satellite networks. The first company, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation CASC, will launch 54 satellites in the first phase and 246 more in subsequent phases, China's Science and Technology Daily reported on 04 March. The second company, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation CASIC, plans to send 156 satellites into low LEO by 2022 for the Project Hongyun. The satellites will enable global internet service to ground, shipboard, airborne and mobile terminals, Bao Weimin, Head of the first corporation's science and technology committee was quoted as saying in the report. Any individual or object will be able to stay seamlessly connected underwater in the deep oceans including the Arctic and Antarctic, or in regions along the Belt and Road route, said Bao.
MORE...
03/05 March 2018
Wang Yaping, a deputy to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), and China's second female taikonaut joins a pool interview before the opening meeting of the first session of the 13th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, on 5 March 2018.
for the photo of Wang Yaping during the interview session, see here and here (including some of her answers to the journalists).
Yang Liwei, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), answers to journlist's questions during a pool interview opportunity ahead of the opening of the first session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, 3 March 2018.
for the photo of Yang Liwei, standing in front of the journalists, see here
03 March 2018
The Russian State Space Corporation Rosсosmos and the China National Space Administration CNSA signed on 03 March the agreement of intent for cooperation in the sphere of exploration of the Moon and the Outer Space as well as on the creation of the Joint Data Center on the lunar projects, the State Corporation said in a statement.
"The sides have expressed readiness to consider the possibility of cooperation on the implementation of the Russian mission to launch the Luna-Resurs-1 (Luna-26) orbital spacecraft in 2022, as well as on the planned Chinese mission for landing in the region of the South Pole of the Moon in 2023," Roscosmos added.
MORE...
28 February 2018
China will step up research into rocket upper stages in a bid to capture a share of the growing commercial market for carriers capable of putting small payloads into low and medium space orbits. Chinese developers have come up with a streamlined version, the Yuanzheng-1S, that can serve the whole flight profile, from launch to separation and then putting a satellite into its orbit, within just one hour. Yuanzheng-1S modules will be used to place commercial sensoring and surveying satellites into sun-synchronous orbits later this year after being lifted into space on Long March 2C carrier rockets. The Yuanzheng series will also be assigned a key role in China’s ambitious moon and Mars explorations, which will require that multiple satellites and modules be sent in one launch.
MORE...
01 March 2018
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced on 1 March that it would start to make preparations for a new flagship X-ray space observatory, called the "enhanced X-ray Timing and Polarimetry mission" - or eXTP - for the research of black holes, neutron stars and quark stars.
MORE...
artist's concept of the satellite
28 February 2018
China is planning its first sea-launch of satellites carried by a Long March rocket, according to Yang Yiqiang, Commander-in-Chief of the Long March-11 rockets project of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation - CASC. He said that 2018 would see five launches of Long March-11 rockets, with four missions for commercial payloads on land, and one at sea. "The sea launch will meet the growing needs for launching near-equatorial and low-inclination satellites, and improve the rockets' adaptability," Yang said. "The solid-propellant Long March-11 rockets have strong quick-response ability with low prices, which provide better, competitive services in space commerce."
MORE...