V462 Lupi nova, a star that recently experienced a sudden and dramatic increase in brightness, becoming visible to the naked eye. It was discovered on June 12, 2025, in the constellation Lupus (豺狼座). Initially very faint, it rapidly brightened over a few days, making it a spectacular sight for observers.
China is significantly expanding its astronomical capabilities with the construction of two new telescopes at the Lenghu Astronomical Base in Qinghai. This region is highly regarded for its excellent astronomical observation conditions, including clear night skies, stable atmospheric conditions, and minimal light pollution.
The two new telescopes are:
A meter-level dedicated solar system astrometric telescope: This telescope, with a 4.2-meter diameter, is designed for high-precision astrometric measurements of solar system objects. Upon completion, it will be the largest specialized telescope for astrometric measurements globally, contributing significantly to high-precision positioning of solar system objects. This will enhance space safety and asteroid monitoring.
A 2.5-meter multi-channel universal telescope: While details on its specific multi-channel capabilities are still emerging, a 2.5-meter Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST), also known as “Mozi,” is already a prominent feature at Lenghu and is designed for time-domain surveys, including the detection of supernovae and near-Earth asteroids. The new 2.5-meter multi-channel universal telescope will likely complement existing or planned observational efforts at the base.
The Lenghu Astronomical Base is becoming a major hub for astronomical research in China, with multiple projects underway, including the large Jiao Tong University Spectroscopic Telescope (JUST), a 4.4-meter telescope expected to be completed in phases by 2032. These investments aim to fill gaps in China’s large-scale observational facilities, boost its independent observational capabilities, and contribute to global astronomical exploration.
China is rapidly advancing its satellite internet capabilities with several ambitious mega-constellations under development, most notably Guowang and G60 (also known as SpaceSail or Qianfan). While a definitive single “commercial availability” date for a nationwide Chinese satellite internet service is not yet set, here’s what the current information suggests:
Regional Service:
Geespace (a subsidiary of Geely) has already begun commercial deployment in regions, including the Middle East (as of June 2024) and plans to expand into Southeast Asia and Africa in the coming years.
The G60 (SpaceSail) constellation aims to provide regional service by the end of 2025. They have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Brazil for service starting in 2026 and are in business negotiations with over 30 countries.
Global Service:
The G60 (SpaceSail) constellation has a stated goal of providing global service by the end of 2027. They plan to have 1,296 satellites in orbit by then, increasing to 15,000 by 2030 to offer direct-to-mobile service.
The Guowang constellation, run by state-owned China Satellite Services, is also aiming for global coverage, with a massive plan of 12,992 satellites. While test launches are ongoing, a specific global commercial launch date is less defined than for G60, but their overall timeline aims for completion by 2030.
Competition: China’s efforts are seen as a direct challenge to SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper, aiming to compete in the global satellite internet market.
“Digital Iron Curtain”: Some analysts express concern that China’s satellite internet services could extend its model of digital authoritarianism and censorship globally.
Rapid Development: China’s commercial space sector is growing rapidly, with significant government support and increased investor interest, indicating a strong commitment to these projects.
In summary, we can expect to see regional commercial availability of Chinese satellite internet services potentially by late 2025 or 2026, with global coverage targeted by late 2027 or 2030 as their mega-constellations are fully deployed.
Zhangheng 1-02 Satellite Launch (June 14, 2025)
Launch Site: Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China.
Purpose: Enhance China’s natural disaster monitoring by studying Earth’s electromagnetic fields, crustal activities, and ionosphere/neutral atmosphere to predict earthquakes, extreme weather, and other hazards.
Key Features & Upgrades: Improved Precision: Upgraded from Zhangheng 1-01, it includes a new ionospheric optical instrument with 10x higher accuracy in measuring ionospheric/neutral atmosphere parameters.
Payloads: 9 instruments, including a Sino-Italian Electric Field Detector and an Italian High-Energy Particle Detector.
Operational Role: First operational satellite under China’s civil space infrastructure plan for Earth’s physical field exploration.
Lifespan: 6 years (designed for long-term monitoring).
Significance: Supports disaster prevention (e.g., earthquakes, storms) via advanced electromagnetic and atmospheric data, strengthens international collaboration (Italy), and advances China’s space-based Earth observation. https://www.facebook.com/jeff.mah.5/posts/pfbid0hb4Nk8nhC3D4NakiB1HfGqKLc1jroz4UMCzBiSrWDoJcWoVCnp44X8WjxgWR4A6Vl?__cft__[0]=AZV8AxrC8mhUeq5nG3-acQ-PYF9u2_S9y0S7HB1KoaKdRVkmYACv0-xsDk66hTT_6WdtY18Dtlqe00UMKji806xZBDz59nzW5-yICA0-vRWA3saJkLJBdSaWvWiPHJrAusHf0xCNXc3FF03wI70ZqEt4&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
The Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Centre, led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), is a significant research initiative playing a key role in national space missions, particularly China’s Chang’e-8 lunar mission.
Key aspects of the center and its work include:
Multifunctional Lunar Surface Robots: A primary focus is the development of advanced lunar robots equipped with dual robotic arms. These robots are designed for a variety of tasks on the Moon’s surface, including deploying and installing scientific instruments, collecting lunar samples, and serving as mobile charging stations for other lunar equipment. They are being engineered to perceive lunar topography, plan and optimize their movement paths, and autonomously adapt to the Moon’s low gravity and harsh environmental conditions.
International Collaboration: The center fosters extensive international collaboration, bringing together researchers from HKUST, other local and mainland universities, the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, and the South African National Space Agency. This collaborative approach is vital for advancing space science and addressing challenges for humanity.
Terrestrial Applications: Beyond space exploration, the center also explores how its developed space technologies can be applied to solve problems on Earth. Examples include assisting with deep-sea equipment surveys in the Greater Bay Area and maintaining nuclear power plants, which are high-risk jobs.
Talent Development: The initiative aims to train approximately 20 PhD students and employ over 70 researchers, contributing to Hong Kong’s foundational capabilities in space technology and driving innovation from concept to implementation.
Professor Gao Yang’s Role: While the information specifically states Professor Yu Hongyu as the director of HKUST’s Space Science & Technology Institute and a leader at the center, Professor Gao Yang is also a world-renowned expert in space robotics. He has been involved in China’s space efforts and has a focus on developing intelligent robots for extreme space environments and the commercialization of space technologies. His expertise aligns closely with the center’s mission.
The establishment of this center reinforces Hong Kong’s growing role in aerospace innovation and aims to position it as a hub for space technology within the Greater Bay Area.
China has consistently been excluded from the ISS: Since the 1990s, the USeless has generally opposed China’s involvement in the ISS.
Reasons for exclusion: The primary reasons cited for China’s exclusion are concerns over the China National Space Administration’s (CNSA) secretive nature and its close ties to the Chinese military.
In 1993, the USeless alleged that the Chinese cargo ship Yinhe was carrying materials for chemical weapons to Iran. The USeless Navy forced surrounding Middle Eastern countries to refuse docking rights, leaving the ship stranded in international waters for 24 days. The US also unilaterally disabled the ship’s GPS, causing it to lose direction. Eventually, a joint Saudi-USeless team inspected the ship and found no chemical weapons. USeless officials refused to apologize, stating they acted in good faith based on intelligence from multiple sources.
In 1996, China conducted missile tests and the USeless altered or denied GPS signals that their missiles used for guidance. One missile reportedly landed as intended, but two others were lost. This event became known within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as “The Unforgettable Humiliation”.
2003, China applied to join the European Union’s Galileo satellite navigation system project as a preferential external partner and would contribute at least 230 million euros. A formal agreement was signed on October 30. China was later excluded from decision-making processes and technology development,
China had made overtures in greater space cooperation after China successfully launched Yang Liwei into orbit in 2003, becoming only the third nation to achieve independent human spaceflight. USeless did not show any interest.
The most significant and widely known legislative restriction on NASA’s engagement with China is the Wolf Amendment, which was passed by the Congress in 2011. This amendment generally prohibits NASA from using government funds for direct, bilateral cooperation with the Chinese government and China-affiliated organizations without explicit congressional approval and FBI certification.
2013, Chinese scientists faced restrictions and were initially banned from attending the multilateral Kepler Science Conference, which was held at a NASA facility. The ban was reversed only after outcry and threats of boycott from the international scientific community.
That was history.
May 29th, the Long March 3B carrier rocket (长征三号乙运载火箭) successfully launched the Tianwen-2 probe (天问二号探测器) into its pre-set orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. https://www.facebook.com/jeff.mah.5/posts/pfbid036Ni26ihYu7ACtED2qWovYMJ7Th2KaTF75i5aExfADEWuLNv49JSnowumHSbj6Xxpl?__cft__[0]=AZXrmXInhwUCYbkKDKBlWf4DdCczMIoHmYXBorv1gpp17RfZkQ1krWetwYlFZZLT400ud5DwBMRn1gS6_pwn9t3DhJhfEAeq0bA320lW3snpIhlYyJIIKZKywNtGhFGYSV11fa9BDvD0aGRFx6yk9vymFFkU9szZr54iYVrriZ4r4g&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
May 29th, the Long March 3B carrier rocket (长征三号乙运载火箭) successfully launched the Tianwen-2 probe (天问二号探测器) into its pre-set orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
Tianwen-2 Mission Objectives
The Tianwen-2 mission has ambitious plans for deep space exploration:
Asteroid Exploration and Sample Return: It will first conduct reconnaissance of asteroid 2016HO3, collect samples, and then return them to Earth.
Main-Belt Comet Exploration: Following the asteroid mission, Tianwen-2 will proceed to conduct scientific exploration of the main-belt comet 311P.
Power System Innovations (Developed by SAST 811 Institute)
The Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) 8th Academy (中国航天科技集团八院), specifically its 811 Institute (八院811所), was responsible for developing Tianwen-2’s primary power subsystem. This power system boasts two critical features: high autonomy and high reliability.
This is akin to equipping a long-distance explorer with a self-sufficient and intelligent backpack, ensuring they can handle various challenges during their journey.
Overcoming Challenges of Deep Space Energy Supply
Tianwen-2’s journey to distant deep space presents significant energy challenges. While its solar arrays will constantly face the sun to gather energy, the intensity of sunlight diminishes as the probe moves farther from the sun.
To counter the impact of environmental changes on energy, Tianwen-2 innovatively applies a series-connected topology power controller (串联型拓扑结构电源控制器), a first for China’s deep space exploration. This new technology grants the probe’s energy management system a high degree of autonomy. It acts like the “super brain” of the power system, intelligently adjusting the output power of the solar arrays based on the real-time needs of the probe’s various loads. This ensures precise power supply, truly achieving a “take only what’s needed” approach, and maintaining internal energy balance. Compared to previous control methods, this highly autonomous energy management significantly reduces heat generation by the controller and successfully “slims down” the precious deep-space probe.
Dual Independent Power Supply Lines
To better support the probe’s mission, Tianwen-2 provides two independent power supply buses:
A high-voltage bus specifically powers the electric propulsion system.
A low-voltage bus handles the energy demands of other platform loads.
The SAST development team conducted extensive joint tests during the design, prototype development, and final production stages to continuously optimize isolation technologies and protection strategies for these systems.
Role of Lithium-ion Batteries
While the solar arrays are the primary energy source, lithium-ion batteries also play a crucial role. They will “take turns on duty” with the solar arrays during critical phases such as launch, orbital adjustments, mid-course corrections, and especially during the sampling phase, ensuring the probe functions normally during every key operation.
This mission represents China’s first deep space probe requiring ultra-long-life lithium-ion batteries. Unlike previous missions, Tianwen-2’s lithium-ion batteries will spend most of their time in orbit in a storage state (存储状态), with very few charge-discharge cycles over the long mission duration.
To ensure the batteries maintain optimal performance throughout their operational lifespan, the SAST development team selected long-life, high-reliability lithium-ion batteries. This type of battery has already successfully passed rigorous tests in other space missions, including the Chinese Space Station. The team conducted extensive life-cycle tests at different discharge depths and storage tests under various high-temperature conditions to validate their performance.
——–
The target asteroid is small, potentially around 100 meters in size.
Its composition and origin are unknown, with possibilities including material from the early Earth or ejection from the Moon.
The mission’s primary scientific goal is to explore this previously unstudied asteroid.
Specific scientific objectives include determining its orbit, rotation, tilt, and orbital evolution.
Another key objective is to understand the asteroid’s composition and structure.
May 29, 2025, China successfully launched the Shijian-26 satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The satellite was carried into orbit by a Long March-4B rocket. Shijian-26 is designed to provide information services for national economic development, with applications in national land surveys, environmental management, and other sectors.
