Articles

Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.

The Tianlin Space Telescope

China is in the early stages of planning a huge space observatory to help answer the matter of whether we are alone in the galaxy.

China targets its first planetary defense test mission

China’s first planetary defense test is taking shape. The ambitious mission will use a single launch to observe and impact a near-Earth asteroid.

China's plans for outer Solar System exploration

A Callisto impactor, a Uranus flyby, and a dedicated ice giant orbiter could be on China’s planetary exploration horizon.

Tianwen-2: China’s Near-Earth asteroid and comet double-header

China is gearing up for an ambitious combined mission to collect samples from a near-Earth asteroid, deliver the material to Earth, and then head off back into deep space to study a comet.

VOICE: Will this Chinese candidate mission to Venus fly?

Inside the Venus Volcano Imaging and Climate Explorer (VOICE) proposal, which appears to be gaining momentum.

Tianwen-3: China’s Mars sample return mission

China's Tianwen-3 aims to be the first to collect samples from Mars and deliver them to Earth, potentially landing back home two years ahead of the NASA and the European Space Agency MSR project

China looks to outer Solar System with nuclear Neptune orbiter

The mission proposal calls for nuclear fission power. Breakthroughs would boost China’s overall exploration capabilities.

Artist's concept of near-Earth asteroids

China is getting serious about planetary defense

Here is what we know about the capabilities and technologies China is considering developing in the near future for near-Earth object monitoring, cataloging, early warning and response.

Jupiter Mission by China Could Include Callisto Landing

China plans to select one of two Jupiter mission concepts that would launch in 2029 and arrive in 2035.

China Considers Voyager-like Mission to Interstellar Space

The mission includes a flyby of Neptune and measurements of the heliosphere, the electrically charged gas bubble surrounding our solar system

Lunar Orbiter Longjiang-2 Smashes into Moon

Don’t worry, this was a planned end for a tiny satellite that has been a huge success.

Scenes of triumph at mission control after confirmation of success.

Hayabusa2 makes second touchdown on asteroid Ryugu

Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has touched down on Ryugu for a second time, bagging samples which hopefully contain material from the subsurface of the asteroid.

Chang’e-4 may have discovered material from the Moon’s mantle

The first science results from the unprecedented Chang’e-4 lunar far side mission are in. The mission’s Yutu-2 rover, deployed from the lander shortly after the Chang’e-4 landing on 3 January, has, with the help of the Queqiao relay satellite, returned data which suggests it has discovered material derived from the Moon’s mantle.