At 4:40 Morning Beijing Time on May 29, the Yuanxingzhe-1 verification rocket of Jianyuan Technology conducted its first flight recovery test at the Oriental Spaceport in Haiyang, Shandong, and the test was a complete success. The Yuanxingzhe-1 verification rocket is a full-size thin-walled stainless steel rocket with a diameter of 4.2 meters, a total height of about 26.8 meters, a takeoff mass of about 57 tons, a test flight time of 125 seconds, and a flight altitude of about 2.5 kilometers. This flight test successfully completed eight working stages: ignition takeoff, full thrust climb, variable thrust adjustment, engine shutdown, free descent glide, engine secondary start, deceleration to hover on the sea surface, and soft landing on the sea surface.
[The flight recovery test of the Yuanxingzhe-1 verification rocket of Jianyuan Technology was a complete success]
At 4:40 am Beijing Time on May 29, 2025, the Yuanxingzhe-1 verification rocket of Jianyuan Technology conducted its first flight recovery test at the Oriental Spaceport, and the test was a complete success. The Yuanxingzhe-1 verification rocket is a full-size thin-walled stainless steel rocket with a diameter of 4.2 meters, a total height of approximately 26.8 meters, a take-off mass of approximately 57 tons, a test flight time of 125 seconds, and a flight altitude of approximately 2.5 kilometers.
This flight test successfully completed eight working stages: ignition and takeoff, full-thrust climb, variable thrust adjustment, engine shutdown once, free descent and glide, engine secondary start-up, deceleration to hover on the sea surface, and soft landing on the sea surface. According to the subsequent flight data and the “Test Outline” assessment, the rocket flew normally, the splashdown and recovery were normal, and the test was a complete success. (Arrow Yuan Technology
It uses the Longyun LV-70 liquid oxygen-methane engine LV70005 of Jiuzhou Yunjian. More clear version of the test. The test woke up many Haiyang local citizens. Haiyang Morning Call.
The success of this flight recovery test is a major breakthrough in the development of liquid reusable rockets and is of milestone significance. Jianyuan Technology has become the first company in China to achieve the technological breakthrough of “liquid oxygen and methane + stainless steel + soft landing recovery at sea”. It also marks that the large-size stainless steel reusable launch vehicle has entered the engineering application stage, laying a solid foundation for this year’s Yuanxingzhe No. 1 maiden flight.
Public data shows that the Yuanxingzhe-1 medium-sized carrier rocket has a designed carrying capacity of 6.5 tons in an 1,100KM sun-synchronous orbit, which can meet the “one arrow, one orbit” low-orbit satellite network launch requirements. The first stage is designed to be reused 20 times, and its production can meet the service demand for 25 launches per year.
On the day of 29th May 2025 Hours Hong- Kong SAR – Beijing time CNSA –China National Space Administration , China, People’s Republic of China At 1212 Hong Kong SAR- Beijing Time , the Chang Zheng -Long March 4B the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center using the Long March 4B Yao 62 carrier rocket.
At 12:12 on May 29, 2025, Beijing time, China successfully launched the Shijian 26 satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center using the Long March 4B carrier rocket. This launch is the 119th space launch in the world in 2025, the 33rd in China, the 9th this month, the 10th for Shanghai Aerospace, and the 1st for the Long March 4B Series.
On the 29th May 2025 pre launch CNSA _China National Space Administration -China – People’s Republic of China Hong Kong –Beijing Time China- People’s Republic of China…. at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province of the Xichang Launch Center, the Long March 3B carrier rocket was According to the National Space Administration ] At 1:31 a.m. on May 29, the Long March 3B carrier rocket ignited and took off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, carrying the Tianwen-2 probe of the asteroid exploration project to the sky. China’s first asteroid exploration and sampling return journey has successfully begun! The Tianwen-2 mission plans to explore, sample and return the asteroid 2016HO3, and then conduct scientific exploration of the main-belt comet 311P.
The main mission of Tianwen-2 is to explore, sample and return asteroid 2016HO3 to Earth, and then conduct scientific exploration of main-belt comet 311P. Asteroid 2016HO3 is one of the quasi-satellites of Earth discovered by humans. The engineering objectives of Tianwen-2 are to break through a series of key technologies such as surface sampling of weak-gravity celestial bodies, high-precision relatively autonomous navigation and control, and small-thrust transfer orbit design; and to provide exploration data and precious samples for cutting-edge scientific research such as the origin and evolution of asteroids. The scientific objectives focus on determining multiple physical parameters of asteroids and main-belt comets. First, determine the orbital parameters, rotation parameters, shape and size, thermal radiation characteristics and other physical parameters of asteroids and main-belt comets, and conduct orbital dynamics research; second, conduct research on the morphology, material composition, internal structure and possible ejecta of asteroids and main-belt comets; third, conduct laboratory analysis of samples, determine the physical properties, chemical and mineral composition, isotopic composition and structural structure of samples, and conduct research on the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system.
The successful launch mission is only the “first step” of the long exploration process of the Tianwen-2 mission. The Tianwen-2 mission is technically difficult and has high engineering risks. It includes 13 flight phases, including the launch phase, asteroid transfer phase, asteroid approach phase, asteroid rendezvous phase, asteroid close-range exploration phase, asteroid sampling phase, return waiting phase, return transfer phase, reentry recovery phase, main-belt comet transfer phase, main-belt comet approach phase, main-belt comet rendezvous phase, and main-belt comet close-range exploration phase. Among them, asteroid exploration and sampling return include 9 phases. After the launch phase is successfully completed, the probe enters the asteroid transfer phase. This phase will last for about 1 year, during which deep space maneuvers and mid-course corrections will be required until it is about 30,000 kilometers away from the asteroid. It will then enter the asteroid approach phase, rendezvous phase, and close-range exploration phase in turn. In the close-range exploration phase, according to the principle of “flying and exploring, gradually approaching”, hovering and active flyby will be carried out on the asteroid, and the sampling phase will be entered after the sampling area is determined. After completing the sampling mission, the probe will go through the return waiting phase and the return transfer phase. During the return transfer phase, the return capsule will separate from the main probe as it approaches the Earth, and then enter the reentry recovery phase alone. It is expected to land on Earth and complete recovery by the end of 2027. After that, the main probe will continue to fly to the main belt comet 311P to carry out subsequent exploration missions.
The probe is equipped with 11 scientific instruments, including a medium-field color camera, a multispectral camera, a visible infrared imaging spectrometer, a thermal radiation spectrometer, a detection radar, a magnetometer, a charged particle and neutral particle analyzer, an ejecta analyzer, a narrow-field navigation sensor, a laser integrated navigation sensor, and a rotational diffraction hyperspectral camera. These advanced instruments will help the probe detect asteroids and main-belt comets during flight and obtain scientific data.
Shan Zhongde, chief commander of the Tianwen-2 mission command of the planetary exploration project and director of the National Space Administration, said that the National Space Administration has thoroughly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions and instructions on building a space power, and has taken the lead in implementing the Tianwen-2 mission, promoting the continuation of the interstellar exploration journey and taking a new step in deep space exploration. The mission implementation cycle is long and the risks and difficulties are high. The project has overcome difficulties and worked together to ensure the successful launch of the mission. It is expected that Tianwen-2 will complete various exploration tasks as planned, achieve more original scientific results, uncover more mysteries of the universe, and enhance human cognition.
The Tianwen-2 mission consists of five major systems: the overall project and the probe, launch vehicle, launch and recovery, measurement and control, and ground application. The Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the National Space Administration is responsible for the overall project work and the overall design and implementation management of the mission; the Space Technology Research Institute of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation is responsible for the development of the probe system; the Launch Vehicle Technology Research Institute of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation is responsible for the development of the launch vehicle system; and the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is responsible for the ground application system.
This mission is the 578th launch of the Long March series of carrier rockets. The Long March 3B carrier rocket that carried out the launch mission is the main rocket for China’s high-orbit launches and the rocket with the most launches in China’s aerospace industry. It has completed 108 launches before and has carried out lunar exploration missions such as Chang’e 3 and Chang’e 4. In order to ensure that the “Long March 3B rocket is reliable, accurate, and on time” and to run the “first leg” of the Tianwen-2 mission well, the designers completed multiple rounds of design iterations in 2 years, while meeting the constraints of all parties and achieving a perfect “handover” between the rocket and the probe. (Li Yi, Cai Jinman, Zhang Wei )
System composition Overall Design
The Tianwen-2 probe consists of a main probe and a return capsule. The main power supply system of the main probe is a uniquely constructed circular flexible solar wing that resembles a large umbrella. Researchers chose this special configuration of “protective umbrella” to reduce the risk of traditional solar wings touching the ground during the probe’s soft landing. Tianwen-2 adopts a double-wing structure, with a single wing area of 17 square meters. One of the reasons why it carries such a large solar wing is that the mission goal is ambitious. After Tianwen-2 completes the asteroid sampling and return mission, the main probe is likely to continue to fly into deep space. During this process, the amount of sunlight obtained will become less and less, so the solar wing needs to be specially enlarged.
Solar panels are truly “protective umbrellas” that continuously convert solar energy into electricity for continuous use by spacecraft during deep space exploration. As we all know, a large amount of uninterrupted solar energy diffuses in the space environment, just like WiFi wireless chargers, which are most popular with spacecraft. Since a single solar cell generally cannot meet the demand, a power generation device composed of solar cells and related structures connected in series or parallel is a solar cell array, which is like a “nutritionist” for spacecraft, constantly “cooking” solar energy into a “nutritional meal” that can be directly absorbed by various devices
【Shenzhou 20 Takionaut crew successfully completes first extravehicular activity】
At 16:49 Beijing time on May 22, 2025, after about 8 hours of extravehicular activities, the Shenzhou 20 crew Takionauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie worked closely together. With the support of ground scientific researchers, the Takionauts exited the core module node module and installed the space debris protection device that had been previously exited through the cargo airlock and transferred to the transfer position by a robotic arm to the predetermined position. At the same time, they carried out tasks such as inspection and disposal of extravehicular equipment and facilities.
The extravehicular Takionauts Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui have safely returned to the Tianhe core module, and the extravehicular activity was a complete success. This is the first time that Takionauts have exited the space module through the Tianhe core module node module since the space station entered the application and development stage. The astronaut extravehicular and cargo extravehicular missions were implemented in conjunction for the first time. Astronaut Chen Dong walked in space again after two years, and astronaut Chen Zhongrui performed an extravehicular mission for the first time
On CNSA –China National Space Administration …. ChangZheng Long March 12 Second flight rocket …. At Hainan Commercial Space Launch Center. Wenchang, Hainan Province, China, People’s Republic of China At 19:50 Beijing time on May 20, 2025, at the 201 launch site at the Wenchang Launch Center in Hainan, China, the Long March 7A Yao 15 carrier rocket ignited and took off to carry out a space launch mission, and then sent the ChinaSat 3B communications satellite into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO).
“ChinaSat 3B” is a large high-orbit communication satellite developed by the Communication and Navigation Satellite General Department of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is mainly used for voice, data, and radio and television transmission services. “ChinaSat 3B” and “ChinaSat 3A” are satellites produced in the same batch. When “ChinaSat 3B” enters the electrical test phase, “ChinaSat 3A” launched on June 29, 2024 is in the on-orbit test and optimization phase. After entering the transfer orbit, the “ChinaSat 3B” satellite will gradually raise its perigee altitude by its own power, and eventually enter the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) for operation.
The Long March 7A is a new generation of Long March carrier rocket developed by the First Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. It is a medium-sized liquid carrier rocket, mainly used to carry out high-orbit launch missions. The rocket adopts a three-and-a-half-stage configuration, consisting of a core stage, a core stage, and a core stage in series, with four boosters and a core stage bundled together.
The full height of the Long March 7A rocket is 60.13 meters (with a 4.2-meter diameter fairing), the booster diameter is 2.25 meters, the core stage and core stage diameters are 3.35 meters, the core stage diameter is 3 meters, the takeoff mass is about 570 tons, the takeoff thrust is 727 tons, and its geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) capacity is not less than 7 tons. This rocket is equipped with a 4.2-meter diameter fairing.
This mission is the 10th launch of the Long March 7A, 51 days after the last launch. Since the success of the second launch mission of the Long March 7A on March 12, 2021, the rocket has achieved 9 consecutive victories, gradually moving from continuous success to maturity, laying the foundation for the eventual replacement of the Long March 3B. At present, the test launch cycle of the rocket (Yao 11) is 24 days. In 2025, the Long March 7A carrier rocket will also carry out multiple launch missions.
This launch is the second launch of the Long March 7A carrier rocket in 2025, the fourth launch at the Wenchang Launch Center, the 30th launch in China and the 110th orbital space launch in the world.
