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Andrew Jones

@andrewjonesspace.bsky.social

2.5K followers 620 following 410 posts

Freelance journalist mainly tracking Chinese space activities. Correspondent at SpaceNews, also bylines at Spacedotcom, IEEE Spectrum and more.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

That's more like 2027. On the optimistic end.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

That's more like 2027. On the optimistic end.

Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

ArianeGroup work on reusable launcher pathfinders. Hop tests soon in Kiruna.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

Yep, I wasn't suggesting that's an image of Earth, some 43 million kilometres distant 😄

Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

Think it was once every half an hour. Not as rapid as Hayabusa2's extended mission target, but it's definitely a challenge

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

Yes, this is possible, and likely held back for specific moments. Today's was timed for national day.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

Yes. Touch and go, but maybe also attempt a landing with drills on the legs. But it's a fast rotating body and a first attempt, etc. Let's see.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

Source: www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n67...

www.cnsa.gov.cn

Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

It's an interesting race in China, and a lot of these companies won't make it in the long run.

Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 7d

CNSA has released an image of Tianwen-2 in deep space using a robotic arm, giving us a proper look at the spacecraft and return capsule for delivering samples from near Earth asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa. Tianwen-2 has been in space for 125 days, is 45 million km from Kamoʻoalewa.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 8d

Deep Blue Nebula has carried out a 308-second static fire test of the second stage of its Nebula-1 launcher as a step towards a first orbital flight. No tentative month for launch given. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/H7X2JnaAsi...

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

JAXA's Hiroshi Yamakawa says MMX Phobos sample return mission almost ready, undergoing final testing. Launch in 2026, return to Earth with samples of the Martian moon in 2031. #IAC2025

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

There's DSEL and others under the banner of a CNSA exhibit.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

V. Narayanan says ISRO targeting early 2027 for Gaganyaan crewed mission. #IAC2025

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

ISRO's V. Narayanan says at #IAC2025 that the agency has received approval for the LUPEX lunar landing mission with JAXA.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

"I think we're going to have sustained human life on the Moon," NASA acting administrator Duffy said at #IAC2025 when asked about what space will look like in 10 years. Will also make "leaps and bounds" on the journey to Mars.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

Tianwen-3 Mars sample return. Launch in late 2028.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

Tianwen-4. Callisto in the background.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

Launch 59: A Long March 2D lifted off at 0300 UTC today from Xichang, sending the experimental Shiyan-30 (01) and (02) satellites into orbit. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/eOGi0svYbp...

Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 9d

Long March 12 on the right at the CNSA stand at IAC in Sydney.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10d

Landspace and iSpace are among those going the methalox route.

Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10d

This week's running route is pretty special

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 10d

And we have a successful second stage static fire test for Pallas-1. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/gnKoNzJzOE...

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 11d

And here's launch 58: A Long March 6A lifted off at 1240 UTC today from Taiyuan, sending 5 Guowang broadband satellites into orbit.

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Andrew Jones @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social · 12d

A Long March 4C lifted off at 1928 UTC on Sept. 26 from Jiuquan, successfully sending the Fengyun-3 (08) meteorological satellite into orbit. This was China's 57th launch of 2025.