Andrew Jones
@andrewjonesspace.bsky.social
Freelance journalist mainly tracking Chinese space activities. Correspondent at SpaceNews, also bylines at Spacedotcom, IEEE Spectrum and more.
Here's the full lack of clarity on the Shenzhou-20 situation from China's human spaceflight agency in English: english.news.cn/20251111/ff7...
November 11, 2025 at 5:05 AM
Here's the full lack of clarity on the Shenzhou-20 situation from China's human spaceflight agency in English: english.news.cn/20251111/ff7...
Update: "Shenzhou-20 crew's return mission is progressing smoothly," CMSEO says, without explicitly stating the plan. But "landing site is currently conducting comprehensive rehearsals for the Shenzhou-20 crew's return," suggesting SZ-20 is clear to land. www.cmse.gov.cn/xwzx/202511/...
No update from China's human spaceflight agency on the possible debris impact on the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. Insiders on weibo suggest a decision soon, which will be very much safety first. We could see Shenzhou-22 launching without crew, and the 3 SZ-20 astros returning on SZ-21
November 11, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Update: "Shenzhou-20 crew's return mission is progressing smoothly," CMSEO says, without explicitly stating the plan. But "landing site is currently conducting comprehensive rehearsals for the Shenzhou-20 crew's return," suggesting SZ-20 is clear to land. www.cmse.gov.cn/xwzx/202511/...
Cosmoleap: The YQ-1A rocket has passed an overall program review, paving the way for testing and production.
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/A9WVvBZPAb...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/A9WVvBZPAb...
November 9, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Cosmoleap: The YQ-1A rocket has passed an overall program review, paving the way for testing and production.
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/A9WVvBZPAb...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/A9WVvBZPAb...
New launch record for China: country made its 69th & 70th orbital launch attempts of 2025 in the last few hours, with a CZ-11 launch from the Yellow sea, carrying Shiyan-32 (01-03), & a CAS Space Lijian-1 from Jiuquan, carrying Chutian-2 (01+02). This surpasses 2024's 68 launches.
November 9, 2025 at 10:02 AM
New launch record for China: country made its 69th & 70th orbital launch attempts of 2025 in the last few hours, with a CZ-11 launch from the Yellow sea, carrying Shiyan-32 (01-03), & a CAS Space Lijian-1 from Jiuquan, carrying Chutian-2 (01+02). This surpasses 2024's 68 launches.
No update from China's human spaceflight agency on the possible debris impact on the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. Insiders on weibo suggest a decision soon, which will be very much safety first. We could see Shenzhou-22 launching without crew, and the 3 SZ-20 astros returning on SZ-21
November 8, 2025 at 11:10 AM
No update from China's human spaceflight agency on the possible debris impact on the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft. Insiders on weibo suggest a decision soon, which will be very much safety first. We could see Shenzhou-22 launching without crew, and the 3 SZ-20 astros returning on SZ-21
Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter successfully observed the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS in early October at a distance of ~29 million km, CNSA has just announced. www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n67...
November 6, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter successfully observed the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS in early October at a distance of ~29 million km, CNSA has just announced. www.cnsa.gov.cn/n6758823/n67...
Stilsat-1: A Russian-owned and Chinese-built satellite watching Ukraine (part 1)
www.thespacereview.com/article/5095/1
www.thespacereview.com/article/5095/1
The Space Review: Stilsat-1: A Russian-owned and Chinese-built satellite watching Ukraine (part 1)
www.thespacereview.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Stilsat-1: A Russian-owned and Chinese-built satellite watching Ukraine (part 1)
www.thespacereview.com/article/5095/1
www.thespacereview.com/article/5095/1
China's human spaceflight agency stated today that the Shenzhou-20 crew spacecraft may have been struck by a small piece of debris. Impact analysis and risk assessment are underway, delaying the crew's return to Earth, originally scheduled for Nov. 5.
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/G3ikYCQLEv...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/G3ikYCQLEv...
November 5, 2025 at 7:44 AM
China's human spaceflight agency stated today that the Shenzhou-20 crew spacecraft may have been struck by a small piece of debris. Impact analysis and risk assessment are underway, delaying the crew's return to Earth, originally scheduled for Nov. 5.
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/G3ikYCQLEv...
mp.weixin.qq.com/s/G3ikYCQLEv...
Galactic Energy has conducted a successful static fire test of the first stage of its Pallas-1 launcher at Haiyang. Statement says both that launch is soon, from Jiuquan, but also that launch & recovery test in 2026. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dfbFACCzmU...
November 4, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Galactic Energy has conducted a successful static fire test of the first stage of its Pallas-1 launcher at Haiyang. Statement says both that launch is soon, from Jiuquan, but also that launch & recovery test in 2026. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dfbFACCzmU...
Shenzhou-20 crew have handed over control of Tiangong space station to the Shenzhou-21 astronauts. SZ-20 Trio heading home Nov. 5. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/W77mDnEmjG...
November 4, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Shenzhou-20 crew have handed over control of Tiangong space station to the Shenzhou-21 astronauts. SZ-20 Trio heading home Nov. 5. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/W77mDnEmjG...
IAMCAS recently completed the ground test of the core module of the "Reconfigurable Flexible On-Orbit Manufacturing Platform" mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Xt1PwUScJT...
November 4, 2025 at 6:04 AM
IAMCAS recently completed the ground test of the core module of the "Reconfigurable Flexible On-Orbit Manufacturing Platform" mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Xt1PwUScJT...
Shenzhou-21 mice in microgravity
November 2, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Shenzhou-21 mice in microgravity
Shenzhou-21 successfully docked with Tiangong at 1922 UTC, just over 3.5 hours after launch. www.cmse.gov.cn/xwzx/202511/...
October 31, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Shenzhou-21 successfully docked with Tiangong at 1922 UTC, just over 3.5 hours after launch. www.cmse.gov.cn/xwzx/202511/...
Foreshadowing.
October 31, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Foreshadowing.
Shenzhou-21 is launching from Jiuquan at 1544 UTC today (11:44 am Eastern) with astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang heading to Tiangong space station. Live stream here: www.youtube.com/live/YdKgnrc...
October 31, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Shenzhou-21 is launching from Jiuquan at 1544 UTC today (11:44 am Eastern) with astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang heading to Tiangong space station. Live stream here: www.youtube.com/live/YdKgnrc...
Reposted by Andrew Jones
HEO’s satellite-to-satellite imaging uncovers secrets of Chinese tech-test spacecraft
Australian company HEO has imaged and modeled a mystery Chinese satellite prior to its reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, revealing previously unknown details about the spacecraft.
Australian company HEO has imaged and modeled a mystery Chinese satellite prior to its reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, revealing previously unknown details about the spacecraft.
HEO’s satellite-to-satellite imaging uncovers secrets of Chinese tech-test spacecraft
Australian company HEO has imaged and modeled a mystery Chinese satellite prior to its reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, revealing previously unknown details about the spacecraft.
spacenews.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:03 AM
HEO’s satellite-to-satellite imaging uncovers secrets of Chinese tech-test spacecraft
Australian company HEO has imaged and modeled a mystery Chinese satellite prior to its reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, revealing previously unknown details about the spacecraft.
Australian company HEO has imaged and modeled a mystery Chinese satellite prior to its reentry into Earth’s atmosphere, revealing previously unknown details about the spacecraft.
Space policy stuff: China on Thursday concluded a plenary session of the CPC central committee, & the communique released immediately after gives insights into priorities for the 15th five-year plan (2026-2030) that will be released in March. Space is explicitly mentioned. (1/4)
October 24, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Space policy stuff: China on Thursday concluded a plenary session of the CPC central committee, & the communique released immediately after gives insights into priorities for the 15th five-year plan (2026-2030) that will be released in March. Space is explicitly mentioned. (1/4)
Shenzhou-21 crewed mission: Long March 2F Y21 has been rolled out to the pad at Jiuquan spaceport. Launch expected ~15:40 UTC Oct. 31. Crew to be revealed the day before launch. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/EWvYlYxVFp...
October 24, 2025 at 5:30 AM
Shenzhou-21 crewed mission: Long March 2F Y21 has been rolled out to the pad at Jiuquan spaceport. Launch expected ~15:40 UTC Oct. 31. Crew to be revealed the day before launch. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/EWvYlYxVFp...
Launch: A Long March 5 lifted off at 1430 UTC today from Wenchang, sending the secretive communications technology test satellite TJS-20 into geosynchronous transfer orbit. This was China's 65th orbital launch attempt of 2025.
October 23, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Launch: A Long March 5 lifted off at 1430 UTC today from Wenchang, sending the secretive communications technology test satellite TJS-20 into geosynchronous transfer orbit. This was China's 65th orbital launch attempt of 2025.
Zhuque-3. Via weibo.com/3775048831/Q...
October 23, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Zhuque-3. Via weibo.com/3775048831/Q...
Integrated Zhuque-3 on the pad.
October 22, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Integrated Zhuque-3 on the pad.
Galactic Energy has released the mission patch for the first launch of the Ceres-2 solid rocket. Launch sometime in the near future.
October 22, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Galactic Energy has released the mission patch for the first launch of the Ceres-2 solid rocket. Launch sometime in the near future.
A Long March 2D stage falling to Earth in Guinan county, Qinghai, following the launch of Shiyan-31 from Jiuquan on Oct. 13. Video: m.weibo.cn/detail/52219...
October 21, 2025 at 3:42 AM
A Long March 2D stage falling to Earth in Guinan county, Qinghai, following the launch of Shiyan-31 from Jiuquan on Oct. 13. Video: m.weibo.cn/detail/52219...
CGST is back, this time with a set of images of the International Space Station taken by on Oct. 1 its Jilin-1 EO fleet. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ETRllIFt9E...
October 16, 2025 at 6:17 AM
CGST is back, this time with a set of images of the International Space Station taken by on Oct. 1 its Jilin-1 EO fleet. mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ETRllIFt9E...