China

August 2020 sure proved that a lot of private capital can flow into the space sector, with a total of US$2.2 billion. Sure, SpaceX represented over 80% of this total – the company’s latest filing shows $1.9 billion raised of a potential total of $2.066 billion – but even without it, the sector total would have come to almost $400 million, distributed across geographies and subsectors.

As we near the 2/3 point for the year 2020, it is starting to feel like a “lost year” for some. With many people having been working from home for the majority of the year, with borders largely closed, and with governments in turmoil, many are starting to ask whether 2020 can just be over already. Reasonable sentiment, to be sure.

In all, 102 individuals from 15 countries completed the survey. Responses point to a chasm between current and developing military and security practice, on the one side, and established safety and sustainability norms of activity in space, on the other

As orbital traffic continues to expand and flourish, on-orbit sustainability efforts must also evolve. On-Orbit Servicing (OOS) possesses the power to renovate degrading space assets and advance space sustainability through in-space manufacturing, orbit modification, refurbishment, and resource replenishment.

Serbia and China signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on space technology cooperation on 5 June 2020. The MoU includes a provision for the joint development of a Sino-Serbian satellite.

In separate media appearances last week, Russian and Chinese diplomatic and military officials have criticised US – and allied – military space programmes and ambitions.

Chinese officials have unveiled details of, and launch timeline for, its Tiangong space station now that the Long March 5B launch vehicle has been successfully launched and China’s crewed capsule has been tested.

Russia and China are currently in talks to pool their resources for joint lunar operations, according to several Russian and international news media sources.

SpaceWatch.Global is pleased to present the third episode in our new podcast series, The Space Cafe Podcast.

China.org.cn released a news report about China's new planetary exploration mission on 9 May 2020, revealing "Tianwen" as the name of the mission: