China's space program

[otter]

Geely’s Satellite Factory Gets the Green Light

http://zgh.com/media-center/story/geelys-satellite-factory-gets-the-green-light/?lang=en

[Satori]

From Xinhua,

China's space tracking ship Yuanwang-3 departs for new monitoring missions.

Commissioned on May 18, 1995, Yuanwang-3 is a second-generation Chinese space tracking ship. It has undertaken more than 90 maritime tracking and monitoring tasks for spacecraft, including the Shenzhou spaceships, Chang'e lunar probes and BeiDou satellites.

[otter]

China to build commercial launch center in eastern coastal province
Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-15

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-04/15/c_139882613.htm

[Steven Pietrobon]

Located at about 29.5° N. I wonder if this will be where they plan to launch CZ-9.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiangshan_County,_Zhejiang

[tangdou8]

Located at about 29.5° N. I wonder if this will be where they plan to launch CZ-9.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiangshan_County,_Zhejiang

No, this place would only used to launch commercial rocket from SAST and CASIC. CZ-9 would launch from a planned artificial island in Wenchang.

[Steven Pietrobon]

CZ-9 would launch from a planned artificial island in Wenchang.

Is there a source for this information?

[plutogno]

Chang'E 7 and proposed program schedule.

first paper I was able to find on the lunar hopper of future Chang'e probes, with some examples of the hopping trajectories
http://zgkj.cast.cn/EN/10.16708/j.cnki.1000-758X.2021.0029

[tangdou8]

CZ-9 would launch from a planned artificial island in Wenchang.

Is there a source for this information?

The highlighted one is the Hangtian island

[Steven Pietrobon]

Thanks tangdou8. How do you know that CZ-9 is launching from Hangtian island? Is that the artificial island? What does the text on the drawing say?

[tangdou8]

Thanks tangdou8. How do you know that CZ-9 is launching from Hangtian island? Is that the artificial island? What does the text on the drawing say?

As you can see on the satellite image, the island does not exist yet. You can compare the geographic feature of the drawing and satellite image to get a vague location of the artificial island.
There is no official word on launching from that island, but the well-known insider on weibo called "汤婆婆" once confirmed this assumption. Also, by calculating the safe distance required by CZ-9, it is logical to launch from that island as it is farther away from the populated area.

Moreover, CASC signed memo with local government regarding to CASC' Hainan sector in Wenchang. In the rocket manufacturing and testing part(航天重大工程总装总测基地), which could correspond to the relevant location shown on the drawing, CASC states 'constructing the assembly and testing facility for super heavy launcher and new generation manned launch vehicle and large ground testing equipment' 论证、布局重型运载火箭、新一代载人运载火箭总装测试基地和大型地面试验设施，以航天重大工程带动海南航天基础配套能力

[otter]

China is developing plans for a 13,000-satellite megaconstellation

https://spacenews.com/china-is-developing-plans-for-a-13000-satellite-communications-megaconstellation/

[input~2]

China is developing plans for a 13,000-satellite megaconstellation

https://spacenews.com/china-is-developing-plans-for-a-13000-satellite-communications-megaconstellation/

Factually there has been recently only 2 pieces of news on Chinese constellations:
Published on March 7 "A national network (guowang) corporation will be set up to coordinate planning and operation of Internet satellite construction"
Published on April 19 "Hongyan and Hongyun constellations will undergo major changes"

The rest is just speculation

[Satori]

China pushes forward exploration of small celestial bodies.

China is pushing forward its exploration of a near-Earth asteroid and a main-belt comet with one space probe, said a senior space expert on Saturday.

[soyuzu]

Wait have I seen this somewhere before

Source https://m.weibo.cn/status/4629935237105404?#&video, from CALT’s PV at China Space Day exhibition.

[Eerie]

Wait have I seen this somewhere before

In Boca China?

[rpapo]

Wait have I seen this somewhere before

In Boca China?

The Chinese are wonderful followers.  Show them how to do something, and they will figure out how to do it better.  The Japanese were very good at doing that, too, back in the day.

[Khadgars]

Wait have I seen this somewhere before

In Boca China?

The Chinese are wonderful followers.  Show them how to do something, and they will figure out how to do it better.  The Japanese were very good at doing that, too, back in the day.

This isn't following, this is a complete rip-off.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1386682086787067904

China is planning to develop suborbital point-to-point transport in the coming decades. Its solution looks shockingly like SpaceX's Starship.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2021/04/chinas-state-rocket-company-unveils-rendering-of-a-starship-look-alike/

China’s state rocket company unveils rendering of a Starship look-alike
The Asian country has tracked SpaceX from the beginning.

by Eric Berger - Apr 26, 2021 1:50pm GMT

[Dalhousie]

Wait have I seen this somewhere before

In Boca China?

The Chinese are wonderful followers.  Show them how to do something, and they will figure out how to do it better.  The Japanese were very good at doing that, too, back in the day.

You do realise this is just a video, not the actual thing?

This isn't following, this is a complete rip-off.

[input~2]

China is developing plans for a 13,000-satellite megaconstellation

https://spacenews.com/china-is-developing-plans-for-a-13000-satellite-communications-megaconstellation/

Factually there has been recently only 2 pieces of news on Chinese constellations:
Published on March 7 "A national network (guowang) corporation will be set up to coordinate planning and operation of Internet satellite construction"
Published on April 19 "Hongyan and Hongyun constellations will undergo major changes"

The rest is just speculation

Apparently they want to translate "Guowang" as "State Grid"