Freelance journalist mainly tracking Chinese space activities. Correspondent at SpaceNews, also bylines at Spacedotcom, IEEE Spectrum and more.
Looks like there's a NOTAM out indicating that the launch window for the Chang'e-7 lunar south polar landing mission opens at 0000 UTC August 24. Windows of 0000-0400 running through August 31.
Andrew JonesThe Long March 5 rocket to launch the Chang'e-7 lunar south polar landing mission has arrived at Wenchang spaceport. Launch could occur around late August. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kBXwck7GNe...
Former CNSA director Ma Xingrui expelled from Communist Party. apnews.com/article/chin...
China expels Politburo member Ma Xingrui in Xi’s anti-corruption campaignA senior official has been expelled from China's ruling Communist Party, state media said Tuesday, as part of leader Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign.apnews.comThe Long March 5 rocket to launch the Chang'e-7 lunar south polar landing mission has arrived at Wenchang spaceport. Launch could occur around late August. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kBXwck7GNe...
Andrew JonesThe Chang'e-7 spacecraft arrived at Wenchang spaceport on April 9. The robotic lunar south pole landing mission will be prepared for launch for the second half of 2026, according to CMSEO. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/B8Hh_lCU43...
Onboard view of descent and views of the capture.
Andrew JonesCASC confirms orbit was successfully achieved (unnamed satellite) and plans to reuse the first stage by the end of the year. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/cNqvOWxkwm...
CASC confirms orbit was successfully achieved (unnamed satellite) and plans to reuse the first stage by the end of the year. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/cNqvOWxkwm...
Andrew JonesThis is big: China just launched the Long March 10B and caught the first stage out at sea with a net recovery system. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/8VpyAMwNaV...
And another new asteroid! Here's Torifune, captured during yesterday's flyby by Hayabusa2. www.jaxa.jp/press/2026/0...
Andrew JonesTianwen-2 had arrived. Here's asteroid Kamo'oalewa seen from 20 km away www.xinhuanet.com/20260706/eb8...
Tianwen-2 had arrived. Here's asteroid Kamo'oalewa seen from 20 km away www.xinhuanet.com/20260706/eb8...
Andrew JonesTianwen-2 sample return mission is expected to arrive at the near Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa tomorrow (July 4) at a distance of ~20 kilometres. Hopefully we'll also see the first images of the asteroid very soon. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/97RjX0XCVs...
Launch 47: A Long March 8A lifted off at 1343 UTC today from Hainan commercial launch centre, sending the Qianfan polar group 15 LEO comms satellites into orbit. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Mp7Spec1o2...
Andrew JonesThis was China's 46th launch of 2026, following the Long March 4B launch of Haiyang-2E from Jiuquan on July 1.
Hayabusa2 is set to pass within 1 km of the centre of asteroid Torifune in ~80 minutes (0930 UTC, 0530 Eastern). Live stream: www.youtube.com/live/hVC3KP3...
【サイマル配信】小惑星探査機「はやぶさ2」による小惑星トリフネ・フライバイのライブ中継YouTube video by JAXA | 宇宙航空研究開発機構www.youtube.comAndrew JonesWe're about to discover some new small worlds: Tianwen-2 arriving at Kamo'oalewa on July 4, Hayabusa2 blasting past asteroid Torifune on July 5. www.space.com/astronomy/as...
This was China's 46th launch of 2026, following the Long March 4B launch of Haiyang-2E from Jiuquan on July 1.
Jonathan McDowellLaunch at 0930 UTC Jul 4 of Qianfan Jigui Group 13 on a Chang Zheng 6A from Taiyuan
JWST has taken a look at Kamo'oalewa, and we've got an interesting paper on this just in time. Fast rotator asteroid could be ~18m in diameter (ground-based estimates 40-100m), and hints that it's more like a rare E-type asteroid than a chunk of the Moon. arxiv.org/abs/2606.24017
Andrew JonesTianwen-2 sample return mission is expected to arrive at the near Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa tomorrow (July 4) at a distance of ~20 kilometres. Hopefully we'll also see the first images of the asteroid very soon. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/97RjX0XCVs...
Liaoning province wants to establish a commercial marine rocket launch base, following the example of Shandong's Haiyang sea launch setup. www.ln.gov.cn/web/zwgkx/zf... via mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ExPOjuvJ5J...
We're about to discover some new small worlds: Tianwen-2 arriving at Kamo'oalewa on July 4, Hayabusa2 blasting past asteroid Torifune on July 5. www.space.com/astronomy/as...
Japanese probe set for super-close flyby on July 5: 'We're going to discover another beast to put in the zoo of asteroids'"This is one of the closest asteroid encounters ever attempted by a mission of this class."www.space.comAndrew JonesTianwen-2 sample return mission is expected to arrive at the near Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa tomorrow (July 4) at a distance of ~20 kilometres. Hopefully we'll also see the first images of the asteroid very soon. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/97RjX0XCVs...
Tianwen-2 sample return mission is expected to arrive at the near Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa tomorrow (July 4) at a distance of ~20 kilometres. Hopefully we'll also see the first images of the asteroid very soon. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/97RjX0XCVs...
SpaceNewsTianwen-2 makes series of burns on approach to asteroid, according to radio tracking China’s Tianwen-2 spacecraft has carried out a series of small propulsive maneuvers following a main burn June 7, setting up an asteroid rendezvous in July....
iSpace completed sea training for its recovery barge using a mock Hyperbola-3 first stage in mid-late June in waters off Yangjiang, Guangdong province. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/R6yxSYx9Yj...
Qingzhou-1 cargo spacecraft to be launched in early 2027, docking with Tiangong space station. Results from experimental Qingzhou-1 launch released. www.cas.cn/cm/202606/t2...