Tag: CASC
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Decoding the Six Reusable Rockets Successfully Recovered Worldwide
Rocket recovery has evolved from an experimental concept into one of the defining capabilities of modern launch vehicles. By returning and potentially reusing major rocket stages, launch providers aim to reduce costs, shorten turnaround times and support a higher launch cadence. To date, six orbital-class launch vehicles worldwide—Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Starship, New Glenn, Long…
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How China Is Expanding Space Product Manufacturing Capacity: Inside the Smart Factory Upgrade at the Shanghai Institute of Spaceflight Control Technology
China’s satellite manufacturing capacity is expanding at an unprecedented pace, driven by the rapid development of commercial spaceflight and large-scale constellation deployment. But how are Chinese space manufacturers increasing output while maintaining the stringent quality standards required for orbital missions? A look inside this upgraded smart factory reveals how digital twins, AI-powered inspection, flexible production…
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China’s Butuo County Deploys Satellite Remote Sensing and Low-Altitude Drones for Agriculture and Governance
Across China, satellite remote sensing and low-altitude drones are increasingly being deployed in rural agriculture. From monitoring crop growth and identifying pests and diseases to conducting precision spraying and assessing natural-disaster risks, the integration of space-based and aerial technologies is helping improve agricultural productivity, reduce labor costs and modernize rural governance. Butuo County in Sichuan…
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In-Depth Look at the Long March 10B Launch Vehicle
I. Basic Information The Long March 10B is a large, reusable commercial liquid-propellant launch vehicle with a diameter of 5 meters. The rocket was developed under the overall responsibility of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). The project was formally approved on July 3, 2025, entered the engineering development phase in December 2025,…
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What Are the “National Team” Forces in China’s Satellite Laser Communication Field?
Satellite laser communication is a communication technology that uses laser light as an information carrier and free space as a transmission channel to establish high-speed data links between satellites, or between satellites and the ground. Compared to traditional microwave communication, laser communication boasts significant advantages—such as large bandwidth, high transmission rates, strong anti-interference capabilities, and…
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Lightning Hit Long March-3B 30 Seconds After Liftoff
Did the Long March-3B Survive a Lightning Strike at Liftoff? A Long March-3B rocket absorbed a lightning strike approximately 30 seconds after liftoff from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center on July 23, 2026 — and still delivered its payload to geostationary orbit (GEO) as planned. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) confirmed the…
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China’s Long March 10B Nails First Net Catch at Sea
Is China’s Net-Catch Booster Recovery a Viable Third Architecture? China’s state-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) recovered an orbital-class booster for the first time on July 11, 2026, catching the Long March 10B first stage in a tensioned cable net mounted to an offshore vessel — a recovery method distinct from both SpaceX’s…
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China Lands Orbital Rocket First Time in Net at Sea
Does China Now Have a Reusable Orbital Rocket? China recovered an orbital rocket’s first stage for the first time on July 10, 2026 — and did it in a way no one has tried before. The Long March 10B’s maiden flight lifted off from the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site at 12:15 p.m. Beijing time,…
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Launch Preview: Chinese, Rocket Lab, and Starlink flights scheduled
The upcoming week features flights from China, California, Virginia, and Florida. Three Starlink launches, two from Vandenberg and one from Cape Canaveral, are set for this week along with a HASTE suborbital flight from Wallops. Internationally, flights are scheduled from Jiuquan and Wenchang in China. ZhuQue-2E is set to make its first operational flight with a…
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Launch Preview: SpaceX and Chinese rockets to launch internet satellites to LEO
SpaceX and Chinese launches dominate this week’s launch manifest, which features six missions from five launch sites worldwide. Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch three Starlink missions from SpaceX’s California and Florida launch facilities. In China, a Chang Zheng 12B flew on its debut mission on Monday, with a Chang Zheng 8 and Chang Zheng…