A Long March 5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-6 mission lunar probe, at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern Hainan Province, China, on May 3, 2024. Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images
China is accelerating its space program in 2026 with record launch rates, massive megaconstellation deployments, and specialized surveillance satellites, signaling a deliberate push to expand military space capabilities and challenge U.S. dominance in orbit.
Antonio Graceffo, Ph.D., is a China economy analyst who has spent more than 20 years in Asia. Graceffo is a graduate of the Shanghai University of Sport, holds an MBA from Shanghai Jiaotong University, and studied national security at American Military University.
