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Space

A supermoon with a partial lunar eclipse. File photo: AP
Science

Earth bids farewell to temporary ‘mini moon’ that is possibly a chunk of actual moon

A 10-metre asteroid that was possibly ejected from the moon is departing its journey near Earth – but will return for a closer visit in January.

US presidential election 2024

Musk’s SpaceX fails to repeat Starship booster ‘chopsticks’ catch, as Trump looks on

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Old Hong Kong

That time Hong Kong almost caught its first live telecast from Apollo 12

Science

How a Chinese spacecraft will catch Mars rock samples for journey to Earth

A lightweight device on an orbiting module will capture a container about the size of a coffee can.

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As China gets closer to launch date for its Tianwen-3 Mars mission, scientists have designed a device to safely capture rock samples for the all-important return back to Earth. Photo: Shutterstock
Science

World first as Chinese sample reveals ‘young’ volcanic activity on moon’s far side

Chinese and US scientists have come up with some surprising results after testing rock samples collected by the Chang’e-6 lunar mission.

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SCMP Highlights

Recap | Musk casts shadow on China’s space ambitions, moon sample swap stalls and more space news

US-China space rivalry, stalled moon sample swap talks, Shenzhou’s pioneering female space flight engineer and more latest China space news.

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UFOs and Extraterrestrial Life

New Pentagon report on UFOs reveals hundreds of incidents worldwide

Pentagon review includes cases of misidentified balloons, birds and satellites – and others that defy easy explanation.

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Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites have been mistaken for UFOs. File photo: AFP
Science

China’s FAST telescope a beacon of ‘soft power’, Shaw laureate says

Winners of the awards see top science and maths talent continuing to emerge from Chinese universities.

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US-China relations

China’s space ambitions face ‘huge test’ from Musk presence in Trump White House

Chinese observers say Beijing needs to stick to its own milestones and avoid getting into a race with the US if possible.

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Britain

UK writer Samantha Harvey’s Orbital wins Booker Prize for fiction

In her novel set aboard the International Space Station, six astronauts circle the Earth, looping through 16 sunrises and sunsets in a day.

British novelist Samantha Harvey, author of the book “Orbital”, holds her trophy and a copy of her novel after winning the 2024 Booker Prize in London on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Science

Exclusive | Hopes dim for China and US space agencies to exchange moon samples

Space officials in China and the United States have been discussing a swap but Nasa has not been forthcoming, sources say.

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Negotiations have come to a standstill over an planned exchange of China’s Chang’e-5 lunar samples, pictured, and samples collected by America’s Apollo missions. Photo: Xinhua via AP
Science

China’s Mars rover Zhurong finds evidence of ancient ocean on red planet

Data from Tianwen-1 mission offers clues about coastline of short-lived sea on Martian surface around 3.5 billion years ago, researchers say.

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US presidential election 2024

From chip war to TikTok ban: what tech can expect from Donald Trump

As Donald Trump returns to the White House, tech companies are bracing for a revamp of tech policies imposed by Joe Biden.

US-China tech war

Musk’s SpaceX asks Taiwanese suppliers to move production abroad

The US company has requested multiple satellite component manufacturers to produce outside Taiwan, sources say.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from lthe Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Photo: Reuters
Japan

Japan blasts world’s first wooden satellite into space

Data will be sent from the satellite to Japanese researchers to determine if it can withstand extreme changes in temperature.

LignoSat, the world’s first satellite made from wood, developed by scientists at Kyoto University in Japan and logging company Sumitomo Forestry. Photo: Jiji Press/AFP
Fame and celebrity

Meet Martha Stewart’s ex Charles Simonyi, the Hungarian-born billionaire

Bill Gates hired Simonyi as his 40th employee while Microsoft was a start-up; Simonyi dated Stewart for 15 years, including through her incarceration, then broke up with her to marry someone else.

Japan

Japan launches defence satellite carried by new flagship rocket

Amid growing tension in the region, the satellite is designed for information-gathering and military operations.

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Science

Why tiny water bears are true survivors – and what it might mean for astronauts

The microscopic animal has radiation-resistant genes that could have applications in space, crops and medicine, Chinese researcher says.

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A water bear, or tardigrade, measures around 1mm long but fascinates scientists with its radiation-resisting abilities. Photo: Shutterstock
Science

Thailand set to be first country to join Chinese and US-led space initiatives

The Thai government has announced it will join the US-led Artemis Accords, despite also working with China on the ILRS.

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Science

China launches Shenzhou-19 spacecraft, carrying its third female astronaut

Successful lift-off for three-person crew bound for Tiangong space station, with autonomous rendezvous and docking slated to follow.

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Science

Shenzhou-19 to send youngest crew, including nuclear rocket scientist, to space

Wang Haoze, 34, the only female space flight engineer in China, will be aboard Shenzhou-19 spaceship when it launches early on Wednesday.

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Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe (centre), Wang Haoze, left, and Song Lingdong will carry out the Shenzhou-19 spaceflight mission that launches from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre. Photo: Xinhua
SpaceX

Nasa astronaut hospitalised after return from space station

The crew, which splashed down on Earth in a SpaceX capsule, had spent nearly eight months in orbit.

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Support teams work around the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft shortly after it landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, on Friday. Photo: Nasa via AP
US presidential election 2024

Concern over report of secret Putin talks as Elon Musk goes all-in for Trump

The head of Nasa says that claims Musk had contact with the Russian leader ‘should be investigated’, and ‘would be concerning’ if true.

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Aerospace: Companies

Chinese aerospace firm offers space tourists US$210,000 rocket rides from 2027

Deep Blue Aerospace sells 2 tickets for a trip it says features at least 5 minutes of weightlessness in outer space.

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Hong Kong science and tech

Opinion | Hong Kong’s low-altitude economy plans need good space weather data

Ensuring the safety and efficiency of drones and other low-altitude services requires coordination between local and mainland authorities.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
United States

US to ease restrictions on space-related exports to allies

The new rules could benefit companies like SpaceX and defence contractors with space units like Lockheed Martin, L3Harris and Boeing.

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SpaceX’s Starship lifts off during its fifth flight test in Boca Chica, Texas, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters
Fashion

The astronaut wears Prada – new spacesuit for Nasa moon mission revealed

The Italian luxury brand has teamed up with private company Axiom Space to provide garments for the Artemis 3 project.

TV shows and streaming video

Professor Brian Cox gives tour of the solar system in BBC Earth series

Starman Brian Cox talks about travel to Mars, science and failed experiments and how his latest series is informed by mountains of new data.

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Space
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Space. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
LATEST China Science NEWS

How a Chinese lab aims to keep data hackers at bay with a new MCU design

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The security of Zijinshan Laboratory’s MCU is based on having three cores instead of one. Photo: Handout

Is a big-brained early hominid found in China a new species?

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Bone fragments from several individuals at the Xujiayao site in China are challenging long-held assumptions about the region’s fossil record. Photo: Wu Xiujie

Scientists increase fighter jet afterburner efficiency to nearly 100%: study

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A Chinese development can improve the afterburner efficiency in fighter jets to 99 per cent. Photo: CCTV

China develops first cable winch system that can reach deepest place on Earth

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China has built the world’s first machine capable of laying submarine cables in the Challenger Deep, the deepest known place on Earth. Photo: Dalian Maritime University

Coating makes China’s stealth aircraft invisible to anti-stealth radar: study

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Anti-stealth radar, such as this one at a Chinese air show, will be blind to aircraft and weapons coated with a newly developed stealth material made by Chinese scientists. Photo: Dickson Lee
MORE China Science NEWS
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