Andrew Jones
@andrewjonesspace.bsky.social
Freelance journalist mainly tracking Chinese space activities. Correspondent at SpaceNews, also bylines at Spacedotcom, IEEE Spectrum and more.
Mengzhou atop of the CZ-10A test stage. Grid fins and recovery hooks visible at the top of the stage, with people offering perspective of scale. Low-altitude test flight and abort test at maxQ scheduled for Feb. 11. m.weibo.cn/detail/52632...
February 6, 2026 at 6:09 AM
Mengzhou atop of the CZ-10A test stage. Grid fins and recovery hooks visible at the top of the stage, with people offering perspective of scale. Low-altitude test flight and abort test at maxQ scheduled for Feb. 11. m.weibo.cn/detail/52632...
Quite a moment. Artemis 2, Long March 10A with Mengzhou, and Starship V3 all undergoing preparations, all with big implications for lunar ambitions.
February 3, 2026 at 6:58 AM
Quite a moment. Artemis 2, Long March 10A with Mengzhou, and Starship V3 all undergoing preparations, all with big implications for lunar ambitions.
Mengzhou now atop the CZ-10A low-altitude test stage.
February 3, 2026 at 6:46 AM
Mengzhou now atop the CZ-10A low-altitude test stage.
Mengzhou in-flight abort test at maxQ coming in February, it seems
February 1, 2026 at 6:09 AM
Mengzhou in-flight abort test at maxQ coming in February, it seems
China's human spaceflight agency has opened voting for mission logos for 2026 missions. Here are the 10 candidates for the Mengzhou mission, variously showing Mengzhou, the CZ-10A and Tiangong. www.cmse.gov.cn:8081/pub/trspoll/...
January 30, 2026 at 1:35 PM
China's human spaceflight agency has opened voting for mission logos for 2026 missions. Here are the 10 candidates for the Mengzhou mission, variously showing Mengzhou, the CZ-10A and Tiangong. www.cmse.gov.cn:8081/pub/trspoll/...
CASC has conducted a 200-second test of a 240-ton kerolox engine, designed for commercial users and developed for large and medium-sized reusable launch vehicles.
January 30, 2026 at 1:22 PM
CASC has conducted a 200-second test of a 240-ton kerolox engine, designed for commercial users and developed for large and medium-sized reusable launch vehicles.
Water deluge system test for a lunar crewed landing mission pad at Wenchang spaceport. Via Douyin/dyums21210av.
January 22, 2026 at 8:34 AM
Water deluge system test for a lunar crewed landing mission pad at Wenchang spaceport. Via Douyin/dyums21210av.
Shenzhou-20 landed safely at 0134 UTC today, with a patched up debris-damaged window. Shenzhou-23, which will provide emergency backup to the crew currently aboard Tiangong , has arrived at Jiuquan, with its CZ-2F launcher following soon.
January 19, 2026 at 6:23 AM
Shenzhou-20 landed safely at 0134 UTC today, with a patched up debris-damaged window. Shenzhou-23, which will provide emergency backup to the crew currently aboard Tiangong , has arrived at Jiuquan, with its CZ-2F launcher following soon.
Video of the ~20 second Long March 12B static fire.
January 18, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Video of the ~20 second Long March 12B static fire.
And out of nowhere, while Long March 10 series tests are being readied at Wenchang, the reusable Long March 12B has had a successful static fire test today at Jiuquan. This is a kerolox rocket, while the recently debuted 12A is methalox.
January 16, 2026 at 10:12 AM
And out of nowhere, while Long March 10 series tests are being readied at Wenchang, the reusable Long March 12B has had a successful static fire test today at Jiuquan. This is a kerolox rocket, while the recently debuted 12A is methalox.
The Shenzhou-20 crew appeared at a presser today, 63 days after landing in SZ-21. Astronauts discovered a triangular crack in SZ-20's return module window during a final pre-return check. Chen Dong sent images to Earth, triggering China's 1st human spaceflight emergency response.
January 16, 2026 at 9:34 AM
The Shenzhou-20 crew appeared at a presser today, 63 days after landing in SZ-21. Astronauts discovered a triangular crack in SZ-20's return module window during a final pre-return check. Chen Dong sent images to Earth, triggering China's 1st human spaceflight emergency response.
China's 2nd launch of the day & 4th of the year: a Ceres-1 solid rocket lifted off from a barge off the coast of Shandong province at 2010 UTC (Jan. 15), successfully sending 4 Tianqi Constellation satellites into 850 km, 45° orbits.
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-hSL8lWkhe...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-hSL8lWkhe...
January 15, 2026 at 9:01 PM
China's 2nd launch of the day & 4th of the year: a Ceres-1 solid rocket lifted off from a barge off the coast of Shandong province at 2010 UTC (Jan. 15), successfully sending 4 Tianqi Constellation satellites into 850 km, 45° orbits.
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-hSL8lWkhe...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-hSL8lWkhe...
Images of the first Lihong-1 flight from CAS Space. Parachute for capsule worked, stage landed successfully. Fight carried the microgravity laser additive manufacturing recoverable scientific experiment payload ( LAM-MG-R1) from CAS institute of mechanics
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/v-nDF-0XGR...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/v-nDF-0XGR...
January 12, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Images of the first Lihong-1 flight from CAS Space. Parachute for capsule worked, stage landed successfully. Fight carried the microgravity laser additive manufacturing recoverable scientific experiment payload ( LAM-MG-R1) from CAS institute of mechanics
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/v-nDF-0XGR...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/v-nDF-0XGR...
CCTV reports that CAS Space today successfully conducted a suborbital launch and landing of its Lihong-1 vehicle, potentially reaching 120 kilometres in altitude. Awaiting footage. content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/in...
January 12, 2026 at 8:45 AM
CCTV reports that CAS Space today successfully conducted a suborbital launch and landing of its Lihong-1 vehicle, potentially reaching 120 kilometres in altitude. Awaiting footage. content-static.cctvnews.cctv.com/snow-book/in...
Possibly the payload fairing from the Long March 8A launched from Wenchang on Christmas Day (UTC).
January 7, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Possibly the payload fairing from the Long March 8A launched from Wenchang on Christmas Day (UTC).
The Chinese Space Station Telescope, or Xuntian, is set to launch in 2027. Science objectives include sky survey, revealing characteristics of dark energy, cosmic structure of dark matter, evolution of the Milky Way, directly imaging exoplanets. Will co-orbit with Tiangong.
January 7, 2026 at 9:23 AM
The Chinese Space Station Telescope, or Xuntian, is set to launch in 2027. Science objectives include sky survey, revealing characteristics of dark energy, cosmic structure of dark matter, evolution of the Milky Way, directly imaging exoplanets. Will co-orbit with Tiangong.
Landspace has had its IPO application accepted by the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company is seeking to raise 7.5 billion yuan (~US$1 bn). This follows a Dec. 26 decision to ease IPO rules for commercial rocket companies in China. wap.eastmoney.com/a/2025123136...
December 31, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Landspace has had its IPO application accepted by the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company is seeking to raise 7.5 billion yuan (~US$1 bn). This follows a Dec. 26 decision to ease IPO rules for commercial rocket companies in China. wap.eastmoney.com/a/2025123136...
Galactic Energy's Pallas-1 is almost ready for its first fight.
December 31, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Galactic Energy's Pallas-1 is almost ready for its first fight.
China has a record of releasing some epic deep space imagery around its national day (Tianwen-1 below) and new year's day. Let's see if we'll get something new tomorrow from Tianwen-2 as it heads for asteroid Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3). And have a great New Year's Eve, everyone!
December 31, 2025 at 9:48 AM
China has a record of releasing some epic deep space imagery around its national day (Tianwen-1 below) and new year's day. Let's see if we'll get something new tomorrow from Tianwen-2 as it heads for asteroid Kamoʻoalewa (2016 HO3). And have a great New Year's Eve, everyone!
Two launches for China within the last day. A Long March 8A lifted off at 2326 UTC Dec. 25 from Hainan carrying Guowang sats, & at 1607 UTC today (Dec. 26), a Long March 3B lifted off from Xichang carrying the Fengyun-4C weather sat. 90 launches in 2025. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/jXFhqkTV-y...
December 26, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Two launches for China within the last day. A Long March 8A lifted off at 2326 UTC Dec. 25 from Hainan carrying Guowang sats, & at 1607 UTC today (Dec. 26), a Long March 3B lifted off from Xichang carrying the Fengyun-4C weather sat. 90 launches in 2025. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/jXFhqkTV-y...
Another rocket debut coming up: the Vega C-class Ceres-2 solid rocket from Chinese startup Galactic Energy is set for launch from Jiuquan at ~0400 UTC Dec. 27.
December 24, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Another rocket debut coming up: the Vega C-class Ceres-2 solid rocket from Chinese startup Galactic Energy is set for launch from Jiuquan at ~0400 UTC Dec. 27.
The state of this reentry and descent of the Long March 12A is something to behold. But despite this failed attempt, the key point is that Chinese reusable launchers are coming.
December 23, 2025 at 8:16 PM
The state of this reentry and descent of the Long March 12A is something to behold. But despite this failed attempt, the key point is that Chinese reusable launchers are coming.
Launch success confirmed.
December 23, 2025 at 4:27 AM
Launch success confirmed.