China

China successfully launched three national security satellites on board a Long March 2C satellite launch vehicle from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre on 24 March 2020, according to Chinese news media sources. The Long March 2C launched the sixth group of three Yaogan-30 intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites from …

By Yue Yuan In this two-part study, exclusive to SpaceWatch.Global, researcher Yue Yuan examines the role of satellite technologies in detecting and monitoring the ongoing outbreak of the Coronavirus – also known as COVID-19 – and their wider role in national and global public health. Satellite Remote Sensing and Earth …

Chinese cyber security company Qihoo 360 published claims on 4 March 2020 that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) conducted an eleven-year cyber espionage and hacking campaign against Chinese companies and organisations in the aviation, energy, and technology sectors. Qihoo 360’s claim that the CIA – which it calls APT-C-39 …

Chinese automotive and technology giant Zhejiang Geely Holding Group announced on 3 March 2020 that it is investing 2.27 billion Yuan (US$326 million) in a satellite manufacturing facility to be located in the coastal city of Taizhou, Zhejiang province, considered to be the ‘hometown’ of the company. The satellite manufacturing …

Four new satellites for the Chinese BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) recently passed technical and system tests and checks in orbit, and have started operations within the BeiDou global navigation satellite servive (GNSS) network, according to China’s Satellite Navigation System Management Office. The four new satellites are the 41st, 49th, …

China is looking forward to 2020 being a banner year for its ambitious space programme, according to a Chinese government report released on 17 January 2020. China expects to break its own satellite launch record by lofting over 60 satellites into various Earth orbits on more than 40 launches from …

As part of the partnership between SpaceWatch.Global and Dr. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, we have been granted permission to publish selected articles and texts. We are pleased to present “China-Pakistan Naval Drills: More Than Just Symbolism”, originally published on 10 January 2020 in The Diplomat. Earlier in the week, the navies …

As part of the official visit to China of Frédérique Vidal, the Minister for Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Centre national d’etudes spatiales (CNES) President Jean-Yves Le Gall and Bai Chunli, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), signed a framework agreement on space cooperation on 13 January 2020. …

Macao’s first space exploration satellite was named Macao Science 1, the special administrative region (SAR)’s Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Tam Chon Weng announced Sunday at an opening ceremony of an aerospace exhibition. During the opening ceremony, vice administrator of China National Space Administration (CNSA) Wu Yanhua also announced …

SpaceWatch.Global asked its staff and contributors to review 2019 and provide an outlook into 2020. These personal reviews are being published during the holiday season. This is Carla Sharpe of South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. by Carla Sharpe National governments require significant amounts of information in order to make real …