21 February 2022
This week, Jean Deville gives an overview on the next big upgrade to the Chinese Space Station - the Wentian science module. He introduces the major features of the module and how it compares to the Tianhe core module.
Another topic of this week's broadcast is China's in-flight connectivity market in 2022, explained by Blaine Curcio. More news can be found in their weekly newsletter.
And if you like to support Jean and Blaine, maybe you would like to buy them a coffee? 
MORE...
The in-depth article "Completion of the Heavenly Palace: Tiangong in 2022" can be found on the DongfangHour internetsite

22 February 2022
There is progress in the SMILE mission. ESTEC engineers tested the 3 m-long magnetometer boom of the Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (Smile) provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Covid travelling restrictions prevented the Chinese team from being physically present in the Netherlands. They were able to follow via a real-time video stream the deployment of the boom under helium-filled balloons to simulate the weightlessness conditions of space.
MORE...

25 February 2022
China's new-generation manned launch vehicle may have a reusable 1st stage that can make a vertical soft landing, Wang Xiaojun, Head of CALT told Science and Technology Daily.
The reusable first stage can perform engine deceleration during the reentry, and control itself and decelerate by pneumatic rudders. During the landing, the 1st stage will be further decelerated and secured by a mesh-like recovery system on the ground, which will allocate more returning components from the rocket to the ground to reduce the launch vehicle load, Wang told a recent international symposium on manned space flight development.
MORE...

26 February 2022
CNSA, Anhui Province and the University of Science and Technology of China have established a deep-space exploration laboratory. It will carry out science and technology research focusing on major national projects in the field of deep space exploration, and it will promote the transformation of research achievements. CNSA will support the lab to join the construction of major engineering projects, including the 4th phase of the lunar exploration programme, the planetary exploration programme, the ILRS and the asteroid defense system, according to CNSA's head Zhang Kejian. It will also support the lab to develop large-scale basic scientific research facilities in the field of deep-space exploration, and foster international scientific programmes and international cooperation projects.
MORE...