Tag: Rocket Science and Propulsion

A Ton of Space Junk Tumbles Unpredictably to Earth Every Week

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One December afternoon, the sky tore open and a fiery hunk of metal, wider than a school bus, came hurtling down. It was louder than a thunderclap when it plunged into a patch of farmland, startling everyone in the village of Mukuku, about three hours south of Nairobi, Kenya. “People were thinking this is the end of the world,” said John Mukunuu, who lives nearby. When the villagers arrived, they found a giant ring, taller than a man and heavier than a horse, lodged into the earth. They watched it…

What China’s Successful Rocket Launch Means for the Future of the Space Race

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On Friday, the bottom part of a rocket that had been launched just minutes earlier descended toward what looked like a stubby drilling derrick floating in the South China Sea. As the rocket stage, known as a booster, slowed almost to a stop and precisely maneuvered into the center of the structure, a grid of wires gently closed around it. It was a remarkable success for a Chinese government-owned space company. On the inaugural flight of its new Long March 10B rocket, it nailed a critical step toward China’s goal…

China Launches Reusable Rocket in Race With SpaceX

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new video loaded: China Launches Reusable Rocket in Race With SpaceX transcript Back transcript China Launches Reusable Rocket in Race With SpaceX Video released by Chinese state media shows a state-owned aerospace company launching a rocket and recovering part of it on Friday. The successful launch of a reusable rocket was a major step for China toward challenging SpaceX’s satellite internet dominance. Stage 1 liftoff of Falcon 9. Go SpaceX. Go Starlink. <img src="https://www.chinastrategy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/china-launches-reusable-rocket-in-race-with-spacex.png" data-testid="betamax-poster" sizes="(width < 1024px) 100vw, (width Video released by Chinese state media shows a state-owned aerospace…

China Launches Reusable Rocket, Clearing a Key Hurdle in Race With SpaceX

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China’s space program took an important step on Friday toward its elusive goal of competing with Elon Musk’s company SpaceX, in the race to dominate the satellite industry. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, a government entity, launched a Long March 10B rocket and recovered its bottom part, called the first stage, a few minutes later. This essential step toward reusing the rocket’s parts for future missions could signal a long-awaited breakthrough for Chinese satellite companies. SpaceX revolutionized the industry with its partially reusable Falcon 9 rocket, whose first…

6 Great Space Images in January

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An asteroid burned up over Germany on Jan. 21. The rock was only three feet in size and posed no risk to people on the ground. But astronomers used planetary defense software to detect the asteroid and pinpoint where it would enter the atmosphere. Meteorite hunters found pieces of it days later in Poland. Michael Aye, via Storyful NYT

A Stunning Eclipse, a Moon Race and Other Space Events in 2024

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Crucial Events on the Path Back to the Moon NASA wants to put American astronauts on the moon’s surface in the years ahead with the Artemis III mission. Before that can happen, though, many things have to go right, and two of the most important are scheduled for 2024. The first is the Artemis II mission. NASA introduced the four astronauts of Artemis II last year. As soon as November, the four could travel around the moon and back. They would be the first humans to travel near the moon…

2023 Space and Astronomy News: What to Expect

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New Rockets NASA got its giant Space Launch System off the ground for the first time in 2022, lighting up the night in Florida with an incredible stream of flame as it carried the Artemis I mission toward the moon. That shifted attention to SpaceX, which is building a next generation rocket, Starship, that is also central to NASA’s crewed Artemis III moon landing attempt. SpaceX cleared a key environmental review that would allow it to launch an uncrewed orbital test flight from South Texas if it met certain conditions.…

A Timeline of China’s Advancements in Spaceflight

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July 19, 1964 China successfully launches its first biological experiment to the edge of space: a rocket carrying eight white mice. ⬇ April 24, 1970 China launches its first satellite, which broadcasts the patriotic anthem “The East is Red” as it orbits. ⬇ Nov. 26, 1975 China launches a remote-sensing satellite that orbits the planet and returns to Earth on Nov. 29. ⬇ March 5, 1986 Deng Xiaoping approves a science and technology project code-named “863” to develop the country’s crewed spacecraft. ⬇ Sept. 21, 1992 Jiang Zemin approves “Project…

China to Launch 3 Astronauts to New Space Station: How to Watch

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On Tuesday night in China, a rocket as tall as a 20-story building will carry three astronauts toward a rendezvous with the country’s just-completed space station. The mission, which is called Shenzhou 15, will set a significant milestone for China’s crewed space program. Here’s what you need to know about the flight and why it is significant. When is the launch and how can I watch it? The mission will lift off at 11:08 p.m. local time on Tuesday, or 10:08 a.m. Eastern time in the United States. CGTN, China’s…

A Tour of China’s Tiangong Space Station

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Experiment module Shenzhou crew ship Tiangong space station Tianzhou cargo ship Tianhe core module Experiment module Experiment module Shenzhou crew ship Tiangong space station Tianzhou cargo ship Tianhe core module Experiment module Experiment module Tiangong space station Shenzhou crew ship Tianzhou cargo ship Tianhe core module Experiment module Experiment module Experiment module A new outpost for astronauts will soon be finished in orbit: China’s new Tiangong space station, or Heavenly Palace. Tiangong will be able to support three astronauts, or up to six people during crew rotations. The unfinished station…