By 
October 7th, 2025
Image via Weibo.
China’s Xuntian space telescope is designed to co-orbit with the country’s Tiangong space station. Orbital phasing of the station and Xuntian would allow docking the telescope with the orbiting outpost for repair, servicing, and upgrades by station crewmembers.
Image via Weibo.
Imagery posted on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter (X), shows the apparent current design of Xuntian.
Late 2026 launch?
Reportedly, the space-based observatory will feature a primary mirror 6.6 feet (2-meters) in diameter and is expected to have a field of view 300–350 times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope.
Credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab
Xuntian has undergone a lengthy, drawn-out development program. It now appears to be headed for launch via a Long March 5B rocket by late 2026.
To view an earlier video focused on Xuntian, go to:
Posted in Space News
