Han Patriot
Registered Member
Time to kill Spacex monopoly. This might sink their stocks further in a few years time. AI and reusable rockets will definitely be the next BYD moment.
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China space program
- Thread starter FHN
- Start date
ChineseTiger1986
Registered Member
Basically all those Long March 10 A/B and Long March 12 variants all carry the same rocket engine as the Lunar Rocket Long March 10.
This also means that the Long March 10 will be ready to start its maiden flight by next year.
Then the 2029 manned mission on the moon will be within the schedule.
This also means that the Long March 10 will be ready to start its maiden flight by next year.
Then the 2029 manned mission on the moon will be within the schedule.
ChillVein
Registered Member
China’s Long March 10B (CZ-10B) utilizes net-capture recovery system for its first-stage booster. SpaceX’s landing legs and supporting buffer mechanisms add massive structural weight. By removing these, the CZ-10B avoids carrying significant "dead weight" through its entire flight. The Chinese method saves over 2 tons in the rocket's hydraulic landing system; It allows the rocket to carry additional payload (cargo) or extra propellant, drastically improving the economic efficiency of commercial launches
ChillVein
Registered Member
Aside from the initial Long march 10B orbital launch. 2026 includes several other active development programs and commercial flight tests from state and private aerospace companies. Five key reusable launch vehicles in development and test pipelines are
- Zhuque-3: Developed by Beijing-based Landspace, this stainless-steel, liquid methane/liquid oxygen rocket is designed for full reusability and heavy payloads.
- Long March 12A: Built by the state-owned Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST), it is a large launcher designed for first-stage recovery.
- Tianlong-3: Produced by Space Pioneer, this large-scale commercial rocket is comparable to the Falcon 9 in capability and features a reusable first stage.
- Nebula-1: Developed by Deep Blue Aerospace, this commercial kerolox rocket is designed for vertical takeoff and vertical landing (VTVL).
- Pallas-1: Built by Galactic Energy, this reusable liquid-propellant rocket aims to significantly reduce costs for launching commercial payloads
Hamartia Antidote
Elite Member
Um...the US has 4 reusable rockets not 3.
You are forgetting Blue Origin's New Glenn...and it's no slouch...it's a serious machine.
New Glenn landing with legs
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Beijingwalker
VIP Member
China's tech rise reshapes the global space race
07/05/2026July 5, 2026
China is pulling ahead in global research rankings and expanding its ambitions in space. With growing technological leadership, Beijing is positioning itself as a rival to the United States on a global scale.
Lai Kai-ying, the first female Chinese civilian to reach outer space, is currently on board China's crewed Tiangong space station, where she orbits the Earth 16 times a day, alongside two other Chinese astronauts.
Tiangong is a unique microgravity laboratory for scientific experiments, designed to provide new insights into humanity's future.
Today, aviation and spaceflight are once again shaped by ideological rivalry, echoing the mid-20th-century space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the 21st century, however, the US's primary competitor is no longer Russia, but China.
US space agency NASA intends to retire its landmark research outpost, the International Space Station (ISS), by 2032. When that happens, China will be the only country operating a permanently crewed orbital station.
China dominates cutting-edge research
Space travel is just one of many fields worldwide in which China now holds a technological lead, according to Nature.The journal's latest index of research leaders, which reveals the leading institutions and countries/territories, puts China in first place — well ahead of the United States and Germany.
Nine of the Top 10 research institutions were from China, with the US' Harvard ranking third. Germany's Max Planck Society (MPG), Germany's preeminent research organization, ranked in 13th place.
"It is now almost irrelevant which global rankings you consult. Universities and research institutions in China lead in many fields," observed Christina Beck, spokesperson for the MPG.
The Nature Index also shows that Chinese research institutions are the clear leaders in biology, chemistry and physics, as well as in other applied sciences. Only in health sciences and the social sciences have they been surpassed by US institutions.
Strong investment underpins China's success
China's rise has taken place steadily over the past two decades, said Richard Heidler, director of information management at the German Research Foundation (DFG), Germany's largest research funding organization."While in the early 2000s it was primarily the volume of publications that increased significantly, bibliometric analyses over the past decade have also shown growing gains in impact-related indicators, such as the share and number of highly cited publications," Heidler said.
In other words, China is not only publishing more but also becoming increasingly better and more visible, which, as the MPG's Beck said, is based on a long-term development process.
"Key to this has been sustained, systematic funding for scientific institutions and universities in China sustained over many years — particularly through the international training of researchers and through substantial investments in large-scale research infrastructure," he added.
China's leaders have long recognized that technology is the key to its success. The country's 15th Five-Year Plan, its economic and political road map for 2026–2030, calls for a continued expansion of its innovation capabilities.
Central to Beijing's strategy is the development of "new productive forces," innovation-driven growth engines based on advanced technologies and industrial transformation.
The plan highlights a range of key future industries, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, nuclear fusion, biotechnology and life sciences, brain-computer interfaces as well as deep-sea and space exploration.
China, US compete over the moon
China and the US are locked in an intense competition over next-generation lunar missions. The push comes as China pledges to have a crewed mission ready by 2030.Whether NASA can successfully carry out its Artemis mission to land near the lunar south pole in 2028 remains to be seen. The lunar lander programs and next-generation spacesuits are already behind schedule.
China also plans to establish a permanent lunar base as a stepping stone for future missions into deep space.
It has already taken a major step toward this goal as the only country to retrieve rock fragments from the moon's far side. The samples are now being studied for their potential use in building the planned settlement.
US, Europe draw boundaries with China over space
NASA is prohibited from cooperating with China's space agency under the 2011 Wolf Amendment, a sign of the intensity of geopolitical and ideological rivalry between the two powers.The European Space Agency (ESA) has likewise scaled back cooperation with Beijing, even though ESA astronauts have had to learn Chinese vocabulary and have carried out joint exercises with Chinese taikonauts — the name for Chinese astronauts.
Germany's Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space has also drawn clear boundaries, particularly in sensitive areas with potential military applications.
"This applies, for example, to cooperation on topics that could be used for both civil or military purposes (dual-use) or for cooperation related to artificial intelligence which could be misused for surveillance purposes and human rights violations," according to the ministry's website.
European states increasingly consider China to be a systemic rival. Risks and benefits in scientific cooperation must therefore be carefully weighed.
"We want to maintain cooperation in research fields where there are no dual-use concerns," said Beck.
One example is the "Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope" (FAST) in China's southwestern province of Guizhou, which has a diameter of 500 meters — roughly the length of five football fields.
"This collaboration gives us access to unique infrastructure," Beck noted.
Ingrid Krüssmann from the Sino-German Center for Research Promotion (SGC) argues along similar lines.
"The DFG aims to create as much certainty as possible for researchers in Germany, so that excellent collaborative projects with Chinese partners can, in principle, continue to be possible," she said.
How China's growing influence affects space research
Beck noted that German research organizations face mounting challenges in cooperation with Chinese partners due to political developments in China, rising geopolitical tensions and, above all, the close intertwining of civilian and military research.The Max Planck Society aims to shape its collaboration with partners in China "in an informed, responsible and strategic manner," she added.
Meanwhile, China continues to pursue its foreign policy agenda through technological means.
After Hong Kong native Lai Kai‑ying completes her mission on board the Tiangong space station, China is set to host its first foreign astronaut, who is expected to spend a short stay in orbit from October.
Two Pakistani candidates, one of whom will be selected for the flight, are already in training for the mission.
The move highlights how geopolitical alliances are increasingly extending into space, with China involving key partner countries in its expanding space program.
China's tech rise reshapes the global space race
China is pulling ahead in global research rankings and expanding its ambitions in space. With growing technological leadership, Beijing is positioning itself as a rival to the United States on a global scale.
www.dw.com
ety
Trusted Member
Lol. China's space program is in no competition with anybody including NASA. CSA has its own timeline and goals. The EU only wants to cooperate with China if the cooperation only benefits EU space program such as the FAST project, lol.China's tech rise reshapes the global space race
07/05/2026July 5, 2026
China is pulling ahead in global research rankings and expanding its ambitions in space. With growing technological leadership, Beijing is positioning itself as a rival to the United States on a global scale.
China plans to establish a permanent lunar base as a stepping stone for future missions into deep space
Lai Kai-ying, the first female Chinese civilian to reach outer space, is currently on board China's crewed Tiangong space station, where she orbits the Earth 16 times a day, alongside two other Chinese astronauts.
Tiangong is a unique microgravity laboratory for scientific experiments, designed to provide new insights into humanity's future.
Today, aviation and spaceflight are once again shaped by ideological rivalry, echoing the mid-20th-century space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. In the 21st century, however, the US's primary competitor is no longer Russia, but China.
US space agency NASA intends to retire its landmark research outpost, the International Space Station (ISS), by 2032. When that happens, China will be the only country operating a permanently crewed orbital station.
China dominates cutting-edge research
Space travel is just one of many fields worldwide in which China now holds a technological lead, according to Nature.
The journal's latest index of research leaders, which reveals the leading institutions and countries/territories, puts China in first place — well ahead of the United States and Germany.
Nine of the Top 10 research institutions were from China, with the US' Harvard ranking third. Germany's Max Planck Society (MPG), Germany's preeminent research organization, ranked in 13th place.
"It is now almost irrelevant which global rankings you consult. Universities and research institutions in China lead in many fields," observed Christina Beck, spokesperson for the MPG.
The Nature Index also shows that Chinese research institutions are the clear leaders in biology, chemistry and physics, as well as in other applied sciences. Only in health sciences and the social sciences have they been surpassed by US institutions.
Strong investment underpins China's success
China's rise has taken place steadily over the past two decades, said Richard Heidler, director of information management at the German Research Foundation (DFG), Germany's largest research funding organization.
"While in the early 2000s it was primarily the volume of publications that increased significantly, bibliometric analyses over the past decade have also shown growing gains in impact-related indicators, such as the share and number of highly cited publications," Heidler said.
In other words, China is not only publishing more but also becoming increasingly better and more visible, which, as the MPG's Beck said, is based on a long-term development process.
"Key to this has been sustained, systematic funding for scientific institutions and universities in China sustained over many years — particularly through the international training of researchers and through substantial investments in large-scale research infrastructure," he added.
China's leaders have long recognized that technology is the key to its success. The country's 15th Five-Year Plan, its economic and political road map for 2026–2030, calls for a continued expansion of its innovation capabilities.
Central to Beijing's strategy is the development of "new productive forces," innovation-driven growth engines based on advanced technologies and industrial transformation.
The plan highlights a range of key future industries, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, nuclear fusion, biotechnology and life sciences, brain-computer interfaces as well as deep-sea and space exploration.
China, US compete over the moon
China and the US are locked in an intense competition over next-generation lunar missions. The push comes as China pledges to have a crewed mission ready by 2030.
Whether NASA can successfully carry out its Artemis mission to land near the lunar south pole in 2028 remains to be seen. The lunar lander programs and next-generation spacesuits are already behind schedule.
China also plans to establish a permanent lunar base as a stepping stone for future missions into deep space.
It has already taken a major step toward this goal as the only country to retrieve rock fragments from the moon's far side. The samples are now being studied for their potential use in building the planned settlement.
US, Europe draw boundaries with China over space
NASA is prohibited from cooperating with China's space agency under the 2011 Wolf Amendment, a sign of the intensity of geopolitical and ideological rivalry between the two powers.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has likewise scaled back cooperation with Beijing, even though ESA astronauts have had to learn Chinese vocabulary and have carried out joint exercises with Chinese taikonauts — the name for Chinese astronauts.
Germany's Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space has also drawn clear boundaries, particularly in sensitive areas with potential military applications.
"This applies, for example, to cooperation on topics that could be used for both civil or military purposes (dual-use) or for cooperation related to artificial intelligence which could be misused for surveillance purposes and human rights violations," according to the ministry's website.
European states increasingly consider China to be a systemic rival. Risks and benefits in scientific cooperation must therefore be carefully weighed.
"We want to maintain cooperation in research fields where there are no dual-use concerns," said Beck.
One example is the "Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope" (FAST) in China's southwestern province of Guizhou, which has a diameter of 500 meters — roughly the length of five football fields.
"This collaboration gives us access to unique infrastructure," Beck noted.
Ingrid Krüssmann from the Sino-German Center for Research Promotion (SGC) argues along similar lines.
"The DFG aims to create as much certainty as possible for researchers in Germany, so that excellent collaborative projects with Chinese partners can, in principle, continue to be possible," she said.
How China's growing influence affects space research
Beck noted that German research organizations face mounting challenges in cooperation with Chinese partners due to political developments in China, rising geopolitical tensions and, above all, the close intertwining of civilian and military research.
The Max Planck Society aims to shape its collaboration with partners in China "in an informed, responsible and strategic manner," she added.
Meanwhile, China continues to pursue its foreign policy agenda through technological means.
After Hong Kong native Lai Kai‑ying completes her mission on board the Tiangong space station, China is set to host its first foreign astronaut, who is expected to spend a short stay in orbit from October.
Two Pakistani candidates, one of whom will be selected for the flight, are already in training for the mission.
The move highlights how geopolitical alliances are increasingly extending into space, with China involving key partner countries in its expanding space program.
China's tech rise reshapes the global space race
China is pulling ahead in global research rankings and expanding its ambitions in space. With growing technological leadership, Beijing is positioning itself as a rival to the United States on a global scale.
Beijingwalker
VIP Member
The Leading Producers of Space Race Materials
July 7, 2026
The Leading Producers of Space Race Materials
The modern space race depends on far more than rockets and launch pads. Satellites, spacecraft, and launch vehicles all rely on a steady supply of critical minerals, metals, gases, and fuels sourced from around the world.
This visualization, created in partnership with the Hinrich Foundation, shows the leading producers of the materials powering the space race, highlighting the countries shaping one of the world’s most strategic supply chains.
China Leads the Space Race Materials Supply Chain
China is the largest producer of four of the eight materials shown. It accounts for the production of 99% of gallium, 78% of graphite, 70% of titanium, and 69% of global rare earth elements.
These materials underpin today’s space technologies. Rare earth elements power high-performance magnets used in satellites. Gallium is essential for semiconductors and solar cells. Graphite is used in rocket components and batteries, while titanium provides the lightweight strength needed for aerospace applications.
The Space Race Extends Beyond Mining
China’s advantage doesn’t stop at production. It also dominates the processing and refining of many critical minerals, including rare earth elements, graphite, and gallium.China plays an outsized role across the global supply chain—even when other countries mine the raw materials. In many cases, countries rely on China not just for the minerals themselves, but also for the refined materials needed to manufacture space technologies.
Other Countries Powering the Space Economy
China isn’t the only major supplier. The United States produces 43% of the world’s helium and rare gases and 54% of global beryllium, both critical inputs for spacecraft and satellites. Rocket manufacturers use helium for testing and manufacturing, while aerospace engineers rely on beryllium for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio.Elsewhere, Chile accounts for 37% of global rhenium production, a metal used in heat-resistant rocket and jet engines. The United States also leads global oil production, supplying the fuel that powers many of today’s launches.
Critical Materials Are Becoming a Battleground
As governments and private companies accelerate investment in the space race, competition is expanding beyond launch capability to the materials that make those launches possible.Production of many critical materials is highly concentrated, while refining is even more so. As countries work to secure resilient supply chains, access to these resources is becoming a strategic advantage—and a new front in the global space race.
Space Race Materials: Top 3 Producers
Which countries supply the materials behind the space race? Explore the global leaders in rare earths, gallium, graphite, titanium, and more.
www.visualcapitalist.com
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