China has unveiled a long-term planetary exploration roadmap for planetary habitability and the search for extraterrestrial life. Released by the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL), the roadmap outlines a series of upcoming and proposed missions targeting key destinations across the solar system.
The plan kicks off with the Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission, scheduled for launch in 2028, which will search for signs of past or present life. In 2029, Tianwen-4 aims to explore Jupiter and its moon Callisto. A mission to Venus in 2033 will collect atmospheric particles to probe its microenvironment, and a Mars research station focused on long-term environmental and biological studies is slated for around 2038.
The most ambitious proposal is a nuclear-powered mission to Neptune around 2039, intended to study its atmosphere, rings, and intriguing moon Triton. Triton, a possible ocean world with a retrograde orbit, shows signs of cryovolcanism, where fluids such as water, ammonia and methane erupt instead of molten rock. While not officially approved, the mission signals China’s growing interest in outer solar system astrobiology.
China’s planetary habitability roadmap looks like this:
Tianwen-3 Mars sample return (2028)
Tianwen-4 Jupiter and Callisto orbiter (2029)
Habitable Environments Simulator (2030)
Venus atmospheric sampler return (2033)
Mars Science Station (2038)
Neptune orbiter mission (2039)
Meanwhile, NASA is facing the prospect of potentially severe cuts, including expected layoffs, with rumors the White House will propose cutting NASA’s science budget by as much as 50% in its fiscal year 2026 proposal.
Expanding commercial activities
China’s commercial space sector continues to broaden its horizons, as demonstrated by two recent initiatives that underscore a growing diversity of ambitions.
Beijing Ziwei Yutong Technology Co., Ltd. (AZSpace), founded in 2019, has announced ambitious plans to conduct crewed orbital flight tests by 2027 or 2028. The company intends to launch its self-developed B300 spacecraft in July 2025, followed by the more advanced DEAR-5 spacecraft in September 2025. These missions aim to verify on-orbit docking and reentry capabilities, marking a significant step towards China’s first commercial crewed spaceflight.
In parallel, Beijing Lanying Xingtong Technology Co., Ltd. (Bluelink Satcom) has secured early-stage funding to develop a satellite network capable of detecting Bluetooth signals from space. The company plans to launch China’s first Bluetooth satellite by mid-2025, facilitating low-power, wide-area Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity.
The developments follow Chinese central government backing for the commercial space sector and many provinces and cities drawing up action plans to attract space companies and foster their development. These efforts reflect a broader national strategy to cultivate a diverse and competitive commercial space ecosystem as a driver of growth.
Clandestine geostationary activity
Meanwhile, in geostationary orbit, China is continuing to expand its presence, deploying satellites with advanced capabilities that have raised security concerns among international observers. The recent launches of the classified TJS-15 and TJS-16 satellites exemplify this trend.
China launched the classified TJS-15 satellite March 9 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. Days after reaching GEO, a companion object was detected alongside TJS-15. While cataloged by U.S. Space Force as an apparent apogee kick motor, the launch echoes the earlier TJS-3 mission, signaling possible satellite inspection, rendezvous or other capabilities.
Subsequently, March 29, the TJS-16 satellite was launched from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center aboard a Long March 7A rocket. While officially described as a communication technology experiment satellite, the lack of detailed information and the nature of previous TJS missions suggest that TJS-16 may possess advanced functionalities, including signals intelligence or early warning capabilities.
Mission patches issued by the satellites’ maker appear to represent two of the Four Heavenly Kings indicating the two missions may be linked, with more to come.
